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Traditional and international: Cured Norwegian fish across the globe
From the south of Europe, all the way to the Caribbean and to the African continent – Norwegian cured fish, known as clipfish, saltfish and stockfish, are well-loved products.
In fact, for many of these countries, this special type of dried and salted cod, saithe, tusk or ling, is viewed as part of their own culinary heritage and tradition, even though the product often has come all the way from Norway.
Though perhaps not as famous as Norwegian salmon, cured fish products from Norway can showcase a long history, and unites global cuisine traditions with Norwegian craftsmanship.
During Easter, cured fish plays an extra important role in many markets as well, and is tied to cultural and religious tradition.
Heads or tails?
In Norway, curing of fish, primarily cod and saithe, is done through extensive drying or salting, or both. This results in stockfish, clipfish and saltfish. In addition to being sent to consumers all over the world, different parts of the fish can be sent to specific markets or used in different ways.
Heads, tails or the whole fish – consumers in global markets have their own preferences on they use the fish. Though tails are more often used when fresh, either grilled or in fish stock or broth, dried heads from stockfish are an important part of the cured product category. For clipfish, the backbone is also often extracted and used on its own, for example for making broth, separately from the rest of the fish.
These different uses result in many different types of dishes, as well as a more sustainable use of the whole fish. And of course: the fish can be utilised for many different parts before it’s cured and made into clipfish, stockfish or saltfish as well. It’s not unusual to enjoy both liver, roe, tongues, stomach and cheeks from fresh skrei cod, for example.
What are clipfish, saltfish and stockfish?
- Clipfish is made of cod, ling, saithe, tusk/cusk and other whitefish, cod and saithe being the most common ones.
- Clipfish is whitefish that is split open, then salt cured, and dried.
- Saltfish is made from the same process as clipfish with salt curing, but without drying.
- Stockfish is made from cod, and dried outdoors on racks without any salting.
- Both stockfish and clipfish has a high concentration of nutrients due to being dried, such as protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, and iron.
- Clipfish, saltfish and stockfish is often called conventional or cured products, and comes from traditional ways of preserving food for a longer time.
The whole fish, eaten in the whole world
Today, Norway exports cured fish to many markets. In 2025 Norway exported 74,154 tonnes of clipfish worth NOK 6.7 billion. Portugal, Brazil and the Dominican Republic were the largest markets for clipfish in 2025. In addition, Norway exported 2,893 tonnes of stockfish worth NOK 899 million in 2025, where Italy, Croatia and Nigeria were the largest markets.
‘In Norway, cured fish products are often viewed as fundamentally Norwegian and traditional, with a rich history tied directly to our seafarer heritage – from Vikings to global trade today. The fact is, in many countries, cured Norwegian fish has been part of the national cuisine for so long that many see it as a local product’, says Seafood Industry Manager for cured products at the NSC, Kari-Anne Johansen.
Dried fish, or stockfish, was what the Vikings brought along on their journeys, serving as meals on the long travels at sea, as well as a sought-after product they could trade.
While stockfish is the traditional Norwegian way of conserving fish by drying, with deep historic roots, clipfish was introduced to Norway later. It’s believed that clipfish was invented by Spanish fishermen, fishing at Newfoundland and experimenting with ways of conservation of the fish back in the 16th century – though some sources date this back to the 13th century.
Norwegian cured products’ global reach
In Norway there’s a famous proverb: a well-loved child has many names. Cured fish fit this description well, with their own local names across the globe. Bacalhau, Bacalao, baccalà, stoccafisso and Makaybu are the local names of the Norwegian product.
While Norwegian in origin, these whole-fish products have become truly local in identity – playing a central role in food cultures and traditions, particularly around Easter or Christmas.
For many of the markets, the whole fish is used, only excluding the heads and backbone in some cases. The fish then plays the main role in stews, soups and other dishes, tied to traditional and religious celebrations. This ties back to a long export history.
In the 1600s, production and export of clipfish began in Norway, sending clipfish to catholic countries in the south of Europe. The cured fish was a convenient protein for catholic fasting. This culinary tradition travelled together with the Spaniards and Portuguese to South America, to countries like Brazil and Mexico.
The first batch of Norwegian clipfish arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1842. In Brazil, clipfish is today considered a national dish, often enjoyed during Christmas and Easter.
In The Dominican Republic, “bacalao” has roots back to the time that the Spanish arrived at the island in 1492. Back then, clipfish was mainly eaten during religious holidays, in line with the catholic tradition. Today it’s considered an everyday meal, and many Dominicans eat clipfish several times a week. And in Jamaica, clipfish is also featured in a national dish, called “Ackee and saltfish”. Though they call it saltfish, it is clipfish that is used in the dish.
When it comes to stockfish, Italy is the largest market. They even have stockfish festivals, where they celebrate the product and the heritage of stockfish. The festivals typically include costumes, cooking shows, and eating competitions.
Try stockfish in the Sicilian style: Northern Norway meets southern Italy in this stockfish dis
Long‑standing significance in African markets
West and Central Africa are key export markets for cured Norwegian fish, with consumers benefiting from the long shelf-life, as well as resilience to high temperatures, and the fact it can be transported, sold and stored without the need for refrigeration.
According to NSC Country Director in West and Central Africa Johnny Håberg:
‘For generations, products like stockfish, stockfish heads and various types of clipfish have been an integral part of everyday cooking, festive meals and traditional recipes. These products are embedded in culinary identities and family traditions, often prepared in ways that have been passed down for decades. In West and Central Africa, Norwegian cured fish is associated with reliability, taste and cultural familiarity; it is an essential part of local gastronomy, contributing to its stable and often growing demand across the region’.
Looking to the future: Utilisation of the fish
The clipfish, saltfish and stockfish industries in Norway also generate different types and quantities of rest raw materials, though often in small volumes, which can make it challenging to develop new products, processes and markets.
For example, raw materials can be extracted before clipfish production, such as spotted backbones from saithe, tusk and ling, and after the production of clipfish and stockfish, for example skins from rehydrated clipfish and stockfish, neck bones from stockfish, or stockfish powder.
In Norway, SINTEF, with funding from FHF, have looked into new ways of utilising rest raw material from cured products in a new project. Findings show that the raw material could have potential in food products, skincare and nutrient supplements.
Lorena Gallart Jornet, responsible for cured/conventional industry at FHF, comments on the new research on rest raw material from clipfish and stockfish:
‘This can create added value through the development of new products, that may lead to increased market shares for the participating companies. There is significant potential in developing various components, but the industry is looking for solutions with a low technological threshold that also ensure profitability. The results we’ve found provide a basis for further development of value chains that can strengthen resource utilisation in the seafood industry’.
According to Lorena Gallart Jornet, the most positive aspect of the project has been seeing the development within companies regarding better utilisation of raw materials.
‘Several companies are taking ownership of their own raw materials, and at the same time we have seen entirely new collaborations emerge between companies’, she says.
As pressure grows to reduce food waste and improve food security, these examples show that traditional methods can possibly deliver modern solutions in the future.
Curios about cured fish?
You can read more about clipfish here, and stockfish here on fromnorway.com.
