Skrei, the king of cod

Fabienne Haberthur | 3/7/23

It's been invading fishmongers' stalls for a few weeks now: skrei is back... Really? But what exactly is skrei? What's behind this Scandinavian-sounding name?

"A fine, white-fleshed fish from the cod family," explains Arnaud Vanhamme, MOF fishmonger in Paris. Simply a cod? Well, not quite. What distinguishes it from its close cousin is its ultra-short fishing season: it lasts just four months, from January to April, whereas cod is fished seven months a year, from October to April. Another peculiarity is that it is only fished along the Norwegian coast, when it migrates to the Lofoten islands of Senja and Vesterålen, after spawning in the icy waters of the Barents Sea. Skrei means "hiker" or "wanderer" in Norwegian. A champion cold-water swimmer, this fish is generally larger than coastal cod and has a firmer consistency. This is the result of the epic journey of almost 1,000 kilometers that the skrei undertakes every winter. By the time it arrives in Norway, it's in top form, and its taste is much sought-after by gourmets and chefs the world over.

Sustainable fishing

The skrei fishery is strictly controlled, and the fish is subject to stringent quality standards. "Fishing areas are relatively restricted, allowing for better monitoring and reserve management. Its quality is guaranteed by the "Skrei Quality" label. France is one of the three biggest export markets. In 2022, 4465 tonnes of Norwegian skrei were imported into France," explains Trine Horne, France Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council. One last point: only fresh fish can be called skrei; frozen, it's cod; salted or dried, it's cod...

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