The season starts tomorrow for " la peche aux oursins" . They are not caught on rod and line but in nets and by scuba divers. I can't say I like them at all. The french love them but I think they are horrible.
I used to scuba dive and I remember once kneeling on a sea urchin and getting a couple of spines in my knee - through my wetsuit. They stayed in there months then one day came to the surface and just popped out with a little squeeze. A friend of mine used to carry a little gizmo like a hypodermic in reverse for sucking them out.
They are great if you are snorkelling and dive down and smash a couple with a rock. Fish magically appear from nowhere to feast on them and you have your own private aquarium.