Frequently Asked Questions
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Sea urchins is commonly consumed either raw or with minimal heating to preserve the subtle flavours. There are certainly many applications where it may be cooked as well! Very fresh whelk may be eaten raw and thinly sliced as sashimi. However, it is important to remember that consuming raw or minimally cooked seafood, just as with meats or eggs, does carry some risk of foodborne illness. If you have underlying medical conditions or are currently pregnant, we would advise you to fully cook our products.
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Thank you for placing your order! We will now send the order to our fishermen and fish factory in Rimouski so they can start preparing your order. Depending on the seafood you have ordered, they might need to first go harvesting so this might take a few days. Once your order is ready to be shipped from Rimouski, we'll give you a call to let you know that your order is ready for pick up or to schedule a delivery time. This is the best way to provide you with the freshest seafood!
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Quebec sea urchin season follows the natural rhythm of the St. Lawrence River. We harvest fresh uni in two windows each year:
Spring Season – Mid-March to early June Once the St. Lawrence River thaws, our fishermen head out to harvest. This typically begins around mid-March and runs through the beginning of June.
Fall Season – August to mid-December We take a voluntary pause from June to August to respect the sea urchins' reproduction season and ensure the long-term sustainability of our harvest. Once reproduction is complete, we resume in August and continue until the St. Lawrence freezes over, usually around mid-December.
If you're planning an order, we recommend reaching out ahead of each season's opening to secure your spot — fresh uni sells out fast!
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We recommend placing your order at least one week in advance to ensure availability and allow our team time to prepare your fresh catch straight from Rimouski.
As a general rule: orders received by Saturday will be delivered the following Wednesday. This schedule allows us to coordinate directly with our fishermen and harvest only what is needed — helping us prevent overfishing and protect the long-term health of Quebec's sea urchin population.
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Yes, it is perfectly normal to see some black dots and white liquid on your sea urchins and they are totally edible. Although we do our best to rince each gonade with salt water, it's still a natural product and we do not add any chemicals or colour enhancers. So it is absolutely normal to see difference in colour and shape. Sometimes, the looks don't reflect the taste, even if they look small or pale, the taste can still be sweet and delicious!
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We currently have few partnered location where they serve our Quebec Sea Urchins. If you are in the South Shore Area, you can try traditional uni sushi at Sushi Yasu Brossard. If you are in downtown Montreal, you can stop by Jun-I for their perfectionned sushi, Otto Bar with their creative menu or Nozy with their Uni Don! We are constantly looking to expand our partnerships... request your favorite fish stores for Quebec Sea Urchins as well as your favorite restaurants to have Quebec Uni on their menu.
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Opening a live sea urchin is easier than it looks! Here's what you'll need: a pair of scissors or our Japanese-made Sea Urchin Opener (available in our store), a bowl, and a spoon.
Hold the sea urchin with the mouth side (the small hole) facing up.
Insert the tip of your scissors or opener into the mouth and cut around the top to remove the cap.
Pour out the liquid inside (or keep it — it's full of flavour!).
Use a spoon to gently scoop out the golden uni lobes, being careful not to break them.
Rinse lightly with cold salted water and enjoy immediately.
Not a visual learner? Watch our step-by-step video on our YouTube channel for a full demonstration.
More Questions ?
Contact us !