Lofoten fishery

Every winter, large numbers of cod, or “skrei” as it is also called locally, come from the Barents Sea to Lofoten to spawn. This has provided a basis for life in the area for many thousands of years. In other words, the Lofoten fishery is an ancient livelihood. Eventually, the scale became so large that it also became important for people far beyond northern Norway. For the past thousand years, the famous seasonal fishery has been of decisive importance for the entire nation. Here from Reine, the fishermen set out to the fishing grounds in droves, most often in open boats, and set out fishing nets and lines. You may study the boats under the “Rorbues”. The weather in winter is mildly harsh in these areas and could change quickly. What was good weather and calm winds could in the next moment be turned into “ragnarok”, an ancient Norse hell, with storms, rain and snow, and waves as big as houses. It was difficult to predict the weather in the olden days, but they could see some weather signs by studying clouds, light and the sun. There was also some superstition. Cats, women, broken glass and cut flowers were taboo on-board boats in the olden days. Nor was anyone allowed to whistle in the boats. It caused a storm. On 11 February 1849, several hundred fishermen from the fishing village in Lofoten perished in such a sudden storm.