Edible Sea Urchin

Edible sea urchins, the largest urchin species in northern Europe, form dense grazing aggregations across the Agdenes reef top, keeping rock surfaces clear of macro-algae and creating the clean, open substrate that large fish prefer. Their pink and white test can reach 17 cm diameter. In areas where king crab predation pressure is lower, urchin barrens extend over large areas — a dramatic visual indicator of shifting predator dynamics in Norwegian waters.