Booking choice: The fishing boat trip. Check dates Tour details
Skrei is Norwegian for the migrating Arctic cod that spawn along the coast of northern Norway. The Lofoten fishery built the rorbuer, the stockfish trade and most of the villages you will drive through.
This post covers the 2027 season as a visitor sees it: when the fish are here, the championship in Svolvær, where the racks are, where to eat it, and whether you can catch one yourself.
The quick answer
Skrei reach Lofoten around Christmas, and the fishery runs from January to April, busiest in February and March. The World Cod Fishing Championship (VM i Skreifiske) is in Svolvær on 19 and 20 March 2027. The stockfish racks fill from about February and the dried fish comes down in May and June. Eat skrei on winter menus from Svolvær to Sakrisøy, and visit the new SKREI centre in Kabelvåg, open all year.
When is skrei season in Lofoten in 2027?
From January to April. Visit Lofoten says the fish arrive around Christmas, and the quality label only covers skrei landed from 1 January to 30 April.
Skrei must be at least five years old before they make the trip from the Barents Sea, says Visit Lofoten. Visit Norway puts them off Lofoten, Senja and Vesterålen from January to April, up to 55 kg and 180 cm, with firmer flesh than cod that stay in one place.
The Norwegian standard for quality-labelled skrei sets the calendar: the fish must be "landed between January 1 and April 30" in its natural spawning areas (Standards Norway). For a visit, late February to March is the sweet spot. The harbours are busy, there is real daylight, and the aurora is still out at night.
| Month | What happens | Our take |
|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | First skrei arrive around Christmas | Polar night, early days |
| January 2027 | Fishery under way; first fish on menus | Short days, few visitors |
| February 2027 | Busy harbours, racks filling | Good light returns |
| March 2027 | Peak; championship 19-20 March in Svolvær | Our pick |
| April 2027 | Season tails off by 30 April | Long days, racks full |
| May to June 2027 | Stockfish comes off the racks | Racks emptying |
When is the World Cod Fishing Championship in 2027?
Friday 19 and Saturday 20 March 2027 in Svolvær, according to the organiser's website.
The official site, vmiskreifiske.no, gives "19.- 20. Mars 2027" and says an average of 600 people take part in the Lofotcupen and the championship, with several thousand visitors in town. Lofoten.com lists the same dates.
The 2027 programme was not final in October 2026. In 2026 each day ran the same way: registration at Thon Hotel Lofoten, boats out at 09:00 on a signal from the Coast Guard, weigh-in at the fish landing station at 14:30 and prizes at 17:00. Expect concerts and food around the harbour too. With several thousand visitors in a town of under 5,000 people, book a room early if your dates touch it.
What is Tørrfisk fra Lofoten, and where do you see the racks?
Stockfish: skrei dried whole on wooden racks for about three months. "Tørrfisk fra Lofoten" has been an EU protected geographical indication since 2014.
The fish is hung on hjell racks in late winter and dries in wind, sun, snow and rain while about 75% of the water goes. It comes down in May and June, matures indoors and is graded over the summer. The PGI, under Regulation (EU) No 425/2014, says the fish is day-fresh skrei caught and landed in Lofoten or Vesterålen. It was the first Norwegian product the EU certified.
You will see racks along the E10 from February onward, around Svolvær, Henningsvær, Hamnøy, Reine and Å. Look, take photos, do not touch: the fish belongs to someone. Italy is the big market, and there stockfish is the base of baccalà alla vicentina. The Lofoten Stockfish Museum in Å opens only in summer, but the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum next to it is open all year.
Racks at Hamnøy and Reine, the yellow cabins of Sakrisøy and a meal on the way, with a local guide.
Check dates for the day tour to Reine and ÅWhere can you eat skrei in Lofoten?
On winter menus across the islands, from hotel restaurants in Svolvær to Anita's Seafood at Sakrisøy. Order the tongues if you see them.
Visit Lofoten names Brasseriet at Thon Hotel Svolvær, Paleo Arctic at Thon Hotel Lofoten, Børsen Spiseri at Svinøya Rorbuer, Bacalao in Svolvær and Gammelbua at Reine Rorbuer for stockfish and seafood. Visit Norway adds Anita's Seafood at Sakrisøy and Holmen Lofoten in Sørvågen. Opening hours shrink off-season, so check before you drive out west.
The classic skrei plate is the fish with its liver and roe. Cod tongues, fried, are the local delicacy, and children still cut them out of the heads for pocket money. The day tour to Reine and Å usually stops for a meal at Anita's Seafood, Brygga in Å or Lofoten Beach Camp, depending on the day.
Can you go fishing for skrei yourself?
Yes, on a guided boat from Svolvær. The listing promises cod, pollock and haddock, not skrei by name, so treat a skrei as a bonus.
The fishing boat trip from Svolvær runs for four hours with Go2Lofoten. Rods, rain gear and a life jacket are included, the crew serves coffee and a non-alcoholic hot toddy, and they will gut and fillet your catch on request. Visit Lofoten lists the Go2Lofoten trip under both its summer and winter themes.
In skrei season, some Svolvær boats market trips specifically for the spawning cod from the end of February to mid April. Our listing does not make that promise, and no boat can control the fish. Dress for a cold deck: wool layers under the rain gear, and a seasickness tablet an hour before if you need one.
Four hours off Svolvær with rods, rain gear and a crew who fillet the catch for your dinner.
Explore the fishing boat trip Tour detailsWhat is the new SKREI centre in Kabelvåg?
A museum and visitor centre at Storvågan, about 12 minutes from Svolvær, that opened on 19 September 2026. It is open all year.
SKREI puts the Lofoten Museum, the Lofoten Aquarium and Galleri Espolin together with a new 5,000 m² building called Otolitten, named after the ear stone of the cod. Norway's culture minister spoke at the opening on 19 September 2026. Inside are the main exhibition on the cod and the Lofoten fishery, a café and the aquarium, where feeding the otters and seals is the highlight (Visit Lofoten).
On a wet February day it is the best indoor option near Svolvær. Pair it with the harbour in the morning and you have the story and the real thing in one day. Our guide to the best time to visit Lofoten shows how the skrei months fit around the aurora and the light.
Frequently asked questions
When is skrei season in Lofoten?
From January to April. The fish arrive around Christmas, and the busiest weeks are usually in February and March.
When is the World Cod Fishing Championship 2027?
On 19 and 20 March 2027 in Svolvær, according to vmiskreifiske.no.
Can tourists catch skrei in Lofoten?
Yes, on guided fishing boats from Svolvær in late winter. No boat can promise a skrei, but cod are the main catch.
When are the stockfish racks full in Lofoten?
From about February to May. The dried fish is taken down in May and June.
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Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Check live availability for your date.
Fishing Boat Trip from Svolvær
Cod and pollock off Svolvær, and the crew fillets your fish
Day Tour to Reine, Hamnøy & Å
- Local guide and certified driver, 8 guests at most
- Pickup in Svolvær or Leknes
- Lunch or dinner at a local restaurant
RIB Sea Eagle Safari to the Trollfjord
An open speedboat into the Trollfjord, eagles close up (ages 8+)
