13 fun facts about
STOCKFISH

1. Where does it come from?

Each winter, hundreds of fishing boats gather in Northern Norway to fish skrei, the migrating Northeast Arctic cod that comes from the Barents Sea to the coast to spawn every year.

2. How is it dried?

The skrei is hung on racks to dry naturally. The salty sea breeze does the job perfectly, just as it has for the last 1,000 years!

Stokk (wooden pole) + fish = stockfish!

...although the name also might come from the fact that the dried fish becomes as hard as a stick (stokk).

You can see the racks in many places in Northern Norway, but they are most common in Lofoten and Vesterålen.

"Lofoten stockfish" is a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in Europe, like Champagne.

4. It's not only skrei...

Stockfish is sometimes also made of other kinds of white fish, like pollock (pictured) or haddock.

It's also the favourite ingredient of...

...young, up-and-coming star chef Siriyaporn "Mymint" Rithisirikrerg from Lofoten. Learn how to make her delicious stockfish cream!

5. What's that SMELL?

It might not be for everyone's nose, but in Northern Norway they say that this is the scent of MONEY!

6. Viking food

Stockfish is the reason people were able to survive so far north and go all the way across the seas to discover Iceland, Greenland, and America, long before Christoffer Colombus.

DNA testing has shown that the Vikings carried stockfish on their expeditions.

The Norwegian word for cod, torsk, comes from the Old Norse "turskr" which is a contraction of "turrfiskr", which means dried fish. Skrei comes from the word skrida, to wander.

7. The stockfish trade built Norway

...and was our no. 1 export item for almost 1,000 years!

The trade with dried fish funded the construction of many coastal cities, like Bergen and Trondheim, including its beautiful Nidaros Cathedral.

8. Hungry for heads

Crushed, dried cod heads are a key ingredient in several of Nigeria's most popular dishes. Very nutritious!

9. Stockfish villages

There are many small, picturesque fishing villages like Nusfjord (pictured), where you can learn more about stockfish. Stockfish even has its very own museum, The Lofoten Stockfish Museum, in Å in Lofoten.

10. How do I prepare it?

First, you need to soak the stockfish for hours in water. Or buy it readymade at a local shop!

Afterwards, you can cook it, grill it, bake it or even use it as topping on your pizza!

And psst … from 2026, swing by the magnificent new landmark Otolitten in Storvågan. Part of the SKREI centre, it's a place where you can dive into the sights, sounds, and stories of the Lofoten fishery!

Are you ready for a real foodie and fishing adventure?