What are Goose barnacles, and why are they so valuable?

Experts from Bournemouth University identified them as Goose barnacles “hitching a ride on a large log”.

Local photographer John Jennings initially saw the crustaceans when out walking near Boscombe Pier.

Related to crabs and lobsters, Goose barnacles are considered a delicacy to certain countries and can be sold for up to £80 a kilo. 

But what exactly are they and what makes them so valuable?

Goose barnacles are an expensive delicacy in countries like Spain and Portugal (Image: John Jennings/Horizonjphotography)

What exactly are Goose barnacles?

According to the Wildlife Trusts website Goose barnacles live attached to rocks, ships, ropes or flotsam floating out at sea.

In appearance, they have "a long fleshy stem that looks like a black neck" and a "chalky white shell" that houses the main body.

They filter feed on plankton and detritus, capturing it from the water with their specially adapted legs.

Goose barnacles tend to grow in "dense aggregations" on any flotsam that comes their way, and often wash up on west and south-west coasts of the UK

Why are Goose barnacles so valuable?

A video on Business Insider claims that the crustaceans are so expensive because of the difficulty of collecting them.

As well as being found on flotsam they grow on rocks on coastlines, which can be dangerous to try and harvest them from due to tides and weather conditions.

Therefore, this relatively limited supply increases their value, particularly to those in Spain and Portugal who consider them a delicacy.

Goose barnacles are known as Percebes out there and are lightly boiled in brine and served whole and hot under a napkin.