My bacalhau caught his first bacalhau

Learning how to fish

To all Norwegians who have watched Bernardo’s latest video: I’m sorry.

You had to witness me screaming while Bernardo calmly tried to bring in his very first catch.

I can barely watch myself in those clips, and I’m honestly surprised by how much “city” is still left in me. I thought I had already gotten quite used to this life, but clearly not to all of its aspects yet.

We live in one of the most fish-rich archipelagos in Norway. Or rather, in the world. People travel here specifically to fish. Many locals live largely off their own catch, and that really speaks to us. Knowing exactly where your food comes from, and knowing there are no antibiotics or other industrial processes involved, that feels right.

Still, it takes some getting used to. Even though we rationally know what happens before fish ends up in the supermarket, it’s not easy to face it. But I’m trying to move past that. In the end, it feels more honest than fish being hauled onto a boat with thousands of others and slowly suffocating in the process.

Until now, I’ve only dared to fish with Bernardo right beside me, just in case I actually got a bite. Standing there, I’m not even sure whether I really want to catch something. And after seeing the video, I realised this is where the “city” in me comes out. Even when Bernardo caught one, an instinctive reaction made me panic and consider throwing the fish back into the sea. But that’s not what this is about. It’s about taking responsibility for what I choose to catch and doing it properly.

However, it was our very first time fishing, and we didn’t expect a catch at all. We never imagined we would be eating bacalhau that very evening. So we had no bucket, no ice, and no proper knife to bleed the fish immediately. Looking back, that didn’t feel good.

We don’t want to turn fishing into a game. If we do this, we want to do it properly, with respect for the animal and the responsibility that comes with it. So by now, we’re better equipped and well prepared for whatever might come.

The luck we had at the start didn’t last long. We’re clearly beginners, mostly good at catching seaweed and ourselves. We keep hooking our fingers and get tangled in the lines with every try. But what we are surprisingly good at is: enjoying it.

In the middle of this fairytale-like landscape, it feels like an unreal, calming activity. And secretly, a little bit addictive.

When the sun’s out, we just exchange a look that says: “Shall we?”

Let’s see if we find our rhythm out here.

Thank you for following along with us!

Jule Noah