Plumose Anemone

Photo: Poul Erik Rasmussen · CC BY-NC

Plumose anemones colonise virtually every square centimetre of Svolvær Wall below 10 metres, their feathery white crowns waving in the gentle current to create an otherworldly snowfield effect along the rock face. They are filter feeders that benefit from the nutrient-rich Arctic water flowing through Lofoten's passages, and colonies here grow to exceptional size — individual animals can reach 30 centimetres in height and live for many decades. The dense anemone beds shelter large numbers of juvenile fish, amphipods, and tiny crustaceans that form the base of the reef food web.