Scientists have been teaming up with fishers for about a decade to try to help restore underwater habitats off the coast of Southern California.

We take a look at how urchin fishers have been helping to get rid of purple urchins that have taken over rocky reef ecosystems. Working as partners with the Bay Foundation, fishers Terry Herzik and Gary Thompson have been helping to thin out the purple urchin population in areas off the coast of San Pedro and nearby areas.

Spectrum News tags along on one of their outings to see how Herzik and Thompson help reduce the number of purple urchins, and find out why they do it.

For more information about how the restoration efforts, including kelp restoration, have affected the larger, more valuable red urchin population, check out this recently published study.