Tripneustes gratilla is raised in the hatchery at the Department of Land and Natural Resources' (DLNR) Anuenue Fisheries Research Center (AFRC) in Honolulu, as a biocontrol to mitigate the effects of invasive seaweeds in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Post-larval settlement and survivorship have been production bottlenecks. Larvae of the nuisance marine midge, Kiefferulus longilobus interfered with biofilm cultivation in settlement tanks and competed with larval urchins for resources. Hatchery temperature ranges tend toward the upper end of this urchin's thermal tolerance, resulting in post-larval mortality. The use of marine adapted poeciliids are among improvements made to defeat the life cycle of K. longilobus. Improvements to biofilm cultivation, temperature controls and urchin settlement systems have improved metamorphosis and survivorship. These improvements have resulted in intermittent increases in labor demand. In response to these labor spikes, the urchin hatchery hosts regular volunteer events that promote involvement and interest in the community.