I am quite jealous of Norwegians for the Norway’s geographic composition.  Situated in prime fishing waters, Norwegians have the luxury of abundant and fresh fish all year round.  Here in Minnesota, we have thousands of lakes that yield lots of fish, but for nearly half of the year, the water is frozen and thus requires much more patience, hard work, and potential discomfort than does fishing in the summertime.  Norwegians fish the coasts whether it is December or July.  Norway’s location surrounded by sea water with long coastlines, wide seabeds, and deep fjords provides excellent opportunites for catching fish.

Norwegians have been a fishing people since the beginning of civilization in Norway.  Fishing remains one of the largest and most important industries in Norway today (fishing is the 3rd largest export industry behind oil/gas and metal).  Russia, Denmark, France, and Japan import the largest share of Norwegian fish.  Although there are fewer fisherman in the industry than there once were, fish farming has increased yield and production efficiency.  Fish farmers depend on feeding care, veterinary attention, selective breeding and site selection to meet environmental standards and production goals.  Finding environmentally safe ways to manage the fish stock population for both nature and humans continues to be a challenge to fish farmers today. 

So, what kinds of fish do Norwegian fish farmers typically catch?  85% of sales of Norwegian fish farming are from salmon (laks), that great fish rich with Omega-3 fatty acids.  Trout (ørret), carp, catfish, tilapia, cod (torsk), and believe it or not, sea urchins.  I found this to be quite surprising.  Apparently sea urchin roe is a delicacy in some places.  Another reason for a recent interest in sea urchin farming is to protect diminishing wild stocks. 

Did you know that there are two types of aquaculture, or fish farming?  There is extensive fish farming and intensive fish farming.  The difference lies in the intensive fish farming relies on an outside source for food, whereas extensive fish farming relies on photosynthetical food production.  Within these two categories of fish farms, there are specific methods, but that, I am afraid, would be much too complicated for a post which I hope gives you an idea of how important fish are to the Norwegian diet, as well as financial well-being of the Norway. 

Norwegians might eat fish 3 or 4 times per week and so it only makes sense athat there are many different ways to prepare it.  One can grill, poach, bake, broil, fry, marinate, smoke, grind, salt and dry, hang it up to dry, cure it, pickle it.  Hmmm…can I translate each of those ‘how to prepare fish’ verbs? 

å grille is to grill

å posjere is to poach

å bake is to bake

å steke is to fry

å marinere is to marinate

å røyke ïs to smoke

å male is to grind

å salte og tørke is to salt and dry

å henge opp og tørke is to hang up and dry

å konservere is to cure

å legge i lake is to pickle

Go eat some fisk and get your healthy Omega-3 fatty acid intake!