It may have been so thick, the biologists speculate, that when the algae began to die it used up so much oxygen from the water that the urchins literally drowned. Another possibility is that the paramoebas which have been thought to cause periodic die-offs in Canadian urchins have made their way to Maine. No paramoebas have yet been found in the dying Maine urchins, but the event is similar to those which occurred in Canada. If it is caused by paramoebas, it would be the first documented presence of the parasite in the state, something Creaser finds worrying. Urchins are brought from Chile and Canada to process in Maine before being sold to Japan.
Warmer weather is also a factor.
Samples from the dead and dying urchins are being sent to the University of Maine and to a Canadian researcher for more detailed examinations and testing. The bottom line, though, is that very little is known about urchin diseases, what causes them or how they affect the urchins. It is not even certain, for example, that the Canadian die-offs were due to the paramoebas found in the dead urchins, Creaser said. There could be a completely different explanation. Inc. Reproduction without permission is strictly forbidden.