Fish species in Lofoten
These are the most common types of fish you will find in Lofoten.
Cod / Skrei
Cod is both a pelagic fish and bottom fish. It can grow up to 55 kg and 180 cm long. Two of the most common types of cod in Lofoten are coastal cod and skrei.
Coastal cod can be fished all year round in Lofoten, but the fishing season reaches its peak when the Barents Sea cod arrive in Lofoten to spawn between February and April. 40% of the skrei that come down the coast of Norway spawn in Lofoten.
Cod is an important resource for Lofoten and not least Norway in general. Cod is considered to be Norway’s oldest and perhaps most important export product of all time. Every year, the World Championship in cod Fishing is held in Svolvær. Over the course of a weekend in March or April, there is a competition to catch the largest cod.
The name skrei comes from Norse mythology and the word “skreið” which means to wander.
Pollock
The saithe is a fish in the cod family. A saithe can grow up to 120 cm long and can weigh around 20 kg at its heaviest. The saithe is a type of fish that stays together.
The saithe prefers water with a higher salt concentration than what other species in the cod family prefer. The far north of the Atlantic, through the Barents Sea, and along the entire coast of Norway are examples of where saithe can be found in abundance.
The saithe tends to spawn in large numbers off the coast of Western Norway, in the northern North Sea, and around Shetland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. The saithe’s spawning season is around February/March.
The wolffish
The wolffish belongs to the spiny-finned fish, which is the largest fish family. The wolffish is recognized for its broad, powerful, and large mouth, as well as its strong teeth and tough skin. Along the Norwegian coast, we find three types of wolffish: the Atlantic wolffish, the spotted wolffish, and the northern wolffish.
The wolffish can grow up to 130 cm long and weigh 20 kg. The wolffish usually spawns between November and February. Spawning typically occurs along the coast of Northern Norway and the Barents Sea. An average wolffish lives between 20 and 25 years.
The cusk
The cusk belongs to the cusk family. The cusk is usually around 70 cm long and weighs around 3 kg, but they can grow up to 130 cm and 20 kg. The cusk prefers the deep sea, between 200 and 500 meters down.
The cusk is widespread on both sides of the North Atlantic. Along the coast north of the USA and further up along Canada, via Greenland, the British Isles, and up to the Barents Sea, there is an abundance of cusk.
The cusk is also abundant along the Norwegian coast, all the way down to the northern coast of Denmark. The cusk usually spawns from April to August. Known spawning areas for the cusk are along the southwest coast of Norway and around the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
The Atlantic halibut
The halibut is a bony fish in the flounder family. The halibut has a flat body shape and is known for its distinctive head structure where both eyes are located on the right side of its head. The halibut can grow up to 3 meters long and can actually weigh more than 300 kg.
Halibut up to 40 kg are most commonly used for food. The halibut is found at depths between 40 and 2000 meters. Halibut fishing usually takes place with halibut nets or halibut lines. The halibut is found along the entire Norwegian coast down to the United Kingdom, across the Atlantic, via the southern coast of Greenland, along the east coast of Canada, and parts of the northeast coast of the USA.
The European plaice
The plaice is part of the flounder family. Characteristics of the fish include its brown and smooth topside with the well-known red spots that give it its name.
Under normal circumstances, the plaice grows to about 50 cm long and usually weighs around 1 kg. In some cases, they can grow up to 1 meter long and have been observed weighing around 7 kg. The plaice typically stays at a depth of around 250 meters along the entire Norwegian coast.
The plaice is found along the entire coast of Europe, except for the inner part of the Mediterranean.
The haddock
The haddock is part of the cod family. The haddock can grow up to 110 cm long and can weigh around 20 kg. It can be recognized by its large overbite, the small barbel on its chin, and a spot under its first dorsal fin.
A haddock usually has three dorsal fins. The haddock resides at a depth between 40 and 300 meters. The haddock can be found on both sides of the North Atlantic, in the Barents Sea, and out to Iceland and the southern coast of Greenland.
The herring
Herring is part of the herring family. It grows up to 40 cm long and has a solid body with a dense layer of shiny scales and a large tail fin. Herring is a schooling fish that feeds on plankton and crustaceans. Herring usually spawns in February/March along large parts of the Norwegian coast.
After spawning, the fish migrate to the open sea, usually around Iceland and Svalbard, before returning to the coast around July and August. Herring is one of Norway’s most important food fish.
The mackerel
Mackerel is a type of pelagic fish. Typically, the mackerel is around 40 cm long and weighs around 700 grams. Some can grow as long as 70 cm and weigh around 3.5 kg.
The mackerel is recognized by its black stripes along its sides. Mackerel is one of the most common fish in Southern Norway, the Skagerrak, and the North Sea, both as a food fish and for sport fishing along the coast.
The pollock
The pollock belongs to the cod family. The pollock can reach a length of 130 cm and a weight of around 10 kg. It has a pronounced underbite and has dark, but distinct lines running along the sides of its body.
The pollock stands out from the rest of the cod family with a body that curves downward under the first dorsal fin. The pollock stays between the sea surface and 200 meters deep, often on hard bottoms along the coast. The pollock is most widespread in the northeast Atlantic, but can be fished from northern Morocco all the way up to Finnmark in Norway and out to Iceland.
The ling
The ling is named for its long and slender body shape and its long barbel.
It can grow up to 210 cm long and weigh 45 kg, but it is usually no longer than one meter. The ling is found in the waters of the North Atlantic, from Morocco, along the Norwegian coast, out to Iceland, all the way up to the Barents Sea, as well as the southern coast of Greenland and the coast of Canada. The ling resides at depths between 100 and 1000 meters.
