ABSTRACT
Sea urchins are used as model systems to study fertilization and embryo development [1]. The sperm, embryos and adults are also used in bioassays as indicators of water pollution [2,3] and some species are commercially fished and farmed [4,5]. Evechinus chloroticus, is common throughout New Zealand waters and spawns during the summer months (Nov to Feb) [6]. There are reports of this species being used in developmental and embryological studies [7,8] and there is a small scale commercial fishery in operation.
