Iceland review - 2004, Qupperneq 44

ICELAND REVIEW 42
ALL ABOUT SALT FISH
In Iceland, fish are as precious as gold. It’s no secret that the fishing industry has long
greased the country’s economic engine. So a museum devoted to fish makes perfect sense
and a museum all about salt fish is the perfect extension. After all, it was the Nobel-prize
winning author Halldor Laxness who wrote: “When it comes right down to it, life is, above
all, salt fish, and not a dream world…”
The Salt Fish Museum, located in Grindavík (southwest), opened in 2002, and is dedicated
to the history of the salt fish industry in Iceland.
And what a history it is. Did you know that religion plays a major role in the popularity of
salt fish? For example, in the 19th century Iceland exported much of their fish to Catholic
countries where, due to the strict rules governing fasting, it was forbidden to eat meat on
Fridays or before major church festivals. However, fish was allowed, creating a large mar-
ket for well-preserved fish from Iceland.
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