It can be difficult to see and taste the difference. But among many, the skrei is considered a delicacy. The common coastal cod swims off the Norwegian coast all year round. There it lives, and there it spawns. The skreien, on the other hand, sets out for a swim every winter, all the way from the Barents Sea in the north down to the Norwegian coast, to spawn. Never before has the seasonal fish been worth more. During this year’s season, the export price has topped NOK 60 per kilo for the first time. This year the price ended at NOK 67. That is NOK 13 more than last year. Fresh figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council show that we exported a total of NOK 282 million worth of skerry during this year’s season. That is NOK 43 million more than last year. And by far the largest market for Norwegian skrei is Spain. The king of cod – Spaniards love good food. More than half of the buyers simply prepare it in a frying pan, preferably with a good olive oil, says Bjørn-Erik Stabell, the Seafood Council’s representative in Spain. Skrei to dry on Røst. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news Where Norwegians traditionally serve skreien with liver and roe, so-called mølje, skreien is the main character on Spanish dinner tables, we are to believe Stabell. – In Spain they say that the skrei is the king of cod. That it maintains the very highest quality. Skreien is eaten when you have family and friends visiting, preferably towards the weekend, says Stabell. During this year’s skreise season, a total of 4,212 tonnes of skreise were exported to foreign markets, which amounts to a decrease of 262 tonnes compared to last year. A significantly lower cod quota, as well as a lot of bad weather and a late onset of ice, have contributed to the decline. At the same time, high export prices, largely due to a weaker Norwegian krone, contributed to a large increase in export value. Despite lower quotas, a lot of bad weather and a late skrei insight, it was a value-wise record quarter for fresh whole skrei. High inflation and lower supply contributed to the growth in Norwegian kroner. Photo: Rolf M. Aagaard / Aftenposten For the entire skrei season, the volume to Spain ended at 1168 tonnes, this is an increase of 30 per cent from 900 tonnes last year. Only two years earlier, the direct export of skrei to Spain was higher. Difference between skrei and skrei The word skrei comes from the Norse word skreið which means fish that wanders. And the long journey from the Barents Sea gives the meat its distinctive character. There are strict requirements for quality marking the skrei. Skreifishing on Røst. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr / news It must be without defects, be of a certain size, be handled by the fisherman in a special way, and be packed and processed in the best way. Then it gets the quality mark on the dorsal fin. Seafood analyst at Norway’s Seafood Council, Eivind Hestvik Brækkan, says there is a difference in the skrei. The Seafood Council’s statistics only contain skrei that have been quality marked. – There is much more skrei that is landed and exported, but the fish does not meet the requirements, says Brækkan. The skrei season extends from 1 January to 30 April. Seafood analyst Eivind Brækkan says there is good demand for skrei. Photo: Norwegian Seafood Council Coastal cod and skrei The skrei is larger than the coastal cod, has a more pointed shape and has a lighter color on the skin. The krill is also more muscular and the meat is finer, while the coastal cod is smaller and darker. 18 per cent of Norway’s exports of fresh whole wild-caught cod were caught in this year’s season, this is up 2 percentage points from last year. Even though the landings and exports of fresh whole cod are decreasing, the share of cod is increasing. – It is strong. Both because lower cod quotas, lower volume and bad weather have characterized the season. I had feared the volume would go down more. There is good demand for skrei, says Brækkan. At the same time, the price difference is record high. The price per kilo of Norwegian skrei is NOK 14 higher compared to other cod.
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Enormous price difference for skrei and other wild-caught cod – news Nordland
