Shetland Islands Council’s marine development sub-committee last week gave the go ahead for the “experimental” project for the next three years, the Shetland News reported.

According to the newspaper's website, Ben Wilcock of UK Scallops Ltd plans to moor two 10 metre cages in the bay of Hillswick, in Northmavine, to experiment with farming sea urchins.

As part of plans to diversify his scallop farming business, Wilcock hopes to farm sea urchin off the Shetland coast. Sea Urchin roe is reckoned to be the world’s most expensive seafood.

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