About us

With 10 fishing vessels and 29.6 cod trawling licences, Lerøy Havfisk AS is the biggest trawler company in Norway.

Lerøy Havfisk AS is a fishing company with activities in Norway. The group operates ten trawlers with pertaining fishing rights. The group also owns several fish processing plants in Nordland and Finnmark in Northern Norway, which are leased to our sister company Lerøy Norway Seafoods under long-term contracts. Lerøy Norway Seafoods processes fish at these plants. The group's primary business area is catching white fish.

The company primarily fishes for cod, haddock, saithe and prawns. All fish are headed and gutted on board the vessels, and the company can provide fresh and frozen fish all year round.

Lerøy Havfisk has 29.6 quotas for cod and haddock and 31.9 saithe quotas, as well as prawn licences. Other species are also caught, including redfish and Greenland halibut.

The newer vessels also produce fishmeal, oil and fish silage from residual raw materials on board.  

The head office of Lerøy Havfisk AS is located in Ålesund, and the company has offices in Stamsund and Hammerfest.

Lerøy Havfisk AS consists of the shipowning companies Nordland Havfiske, Finnmark Havfiske and Hammerfest Industrifiske. The company also owns production plants in Båtsfjord, Kjøllefjord, Honningsvåg, Hammerfest, Melbu and Stamsund.

Lerøy Havfisk AS is a subsidiary of Lerøy Seafood Group ASA

 
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Our history

The trawling industry and deep-sea fishing have long-standing traditions. Click on the years below to read more about how it all started and developments up to the present. 

 

1930

Norway's first steam trawler

1950

The Act relating to the ownership of fishing vessels established that only active fishermen could own vessels. The Act soon came under pressure.

1951

The Act relating to the ownership of fishing vessels was revised. Persons and companies with links to the industry could now be granted a licence to own vessels.

1951

Fillet production started in Hammerfest – a precursor of Findus. Owned by Freia (brothers Throne-Holst and B. Heide from Kristiansund). The raw materials for this production primarily came from trawlers owned by others who landed their catches in Hammerfest.

1953

Havfisk AS was established in Melbu. In the 1970s, the company invested in freezing, and in 2001, it only had freezer trawlers.

1953

Hammerfest Havfiske A/L was established in Hammerfest. The company primarily ran fresh fish trawlers. It acquired its first trawler, Findus 1. The skipper and one other fisherman owned the majority of the shares. The vessel was renamed Skaidi in 1954.

1956

The Act relating to the ownership of fishing vessels was amended again. ‘Other companies in which fishermen, together with municipalities and/or fish processers, hold the majority of ownership interests, can, subject to certain conditions, be permitted to buy and run fishing vessels if so indicated by financial or other important considerations.’

1956

Hammerfest Havfiske A/L bought three used trawlers from England. A number of other trawlers were hired (under charter contracts) to cover Findus's need for raw materials.

1959-1960

A/S Melbutrål was formed. This company owned Norway’s first stern trawler, Hekktind, (handed over in 1961).

1962

Nestlé took over ownership of Findus in Hammerfest.

1962

Lofoten Trålrederi was established by a number of local industrial enterprises, the biggest of which was J.M Johansen, and several municipalities in Lofoten.

1966

Brødrene Aarsæther became co-owner of its first trawler, Båtsfjord I. Vadsøtrål was acquired in 1967, followed by several more trawlers until the mid-1970s. A total of seven new trawlers were acquired between 1971 and 1976, all of them fresh fish trawlers (Vadsøjenta had freezing capacity). During the coastal fisheries periods, the boats had to land their catches elsewhere, often in Southern Norway (they were under the direction of the Norwegian Fishermen's Sales Organisation). For the same reason, fish was fished off and landed in Greenland for a while. At the time, there were no written obligations or conditions attached to the licences. The authorities’ only concern that the fishing companies were informed about, was that they should not get in the way of the coastal fishing fleet.

1970-1973

Hammerfest Industrifiske acquired nine trawlers.

1973

Havfisk AS made its first attempt at freezing round fish.

1976

Fishing quotas for trawlers were introduced.

1984

Melbu began phasing out its fresh fish trawlers in favour of round freezer trawlers. The process was completed in 2001, when the final fresh fish trawler was phased out. Nordtind, now Stamsund, was sold to Lofoten Trålrederi. The industry faced a crisis in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with challenging resource and market situations. The outlook improved towards the end of the 1980s, when Kongsfjord was built, among other things. The factory trawler Kongsfjord was delivered in 1987. During the period 1996–1998, Brødrene Aarsæther bought two small trawlers with fishing quotas (Laksefjord and Skjøtningberg). In 1999, the new Båtsfjord was handed over.

1994

Norway Seafoods AS was established. Skaarfish Group AS was the first Norwegian enterprise to be acquired.

1996

Acquisition of Foodmark, a Danish parent company, which included the subsidiaries Thorfisk and Thorfisk Trading

1996-2004

Important acquisitions in Norway strengthened the fleet and processing capacity.

2005

The company was renamed Aker Seafoods and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Acquisition of West Fish-Aarsæther AS and Nordic Sea Holding AS.

2008-2009

Acquisition of the French seafood company Viviers de France.

2010

Norway Seafoods was re-established as the company's processing and sales company.

2011

It was decided to separate Norway Seafoods from Aker Seafoods, with separate ownership and management. The change took effect in January 2012.

2013

Name change from Aker Seafoods ASA to Havfisk ASA

2016

Lerøy Seafood acquired Havfisk AS.

2020

Havfisk AS was renamed Lerøy Havfisk AS.
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Nordland Havfiske AS

Nordland Havfiske AS consists of what was formerly Havfisk AS in Melbu and Lofoten Trålerrederi AS in Stamsund. The two companies merged in 2006 under the name Nordland Havfiske AS. The company currently owns and operates 4 trawlers, and it has 12 cod trawling licences and 5 prawn licences.

Havfisk AS was acquired by Norway Seafoods AS, now Lerøy Havfisk AS, in 1996. Havfisk AS was formed in 1953, and was owned by Melbu Fiskeindustri from 1980. Lofoten Trålrederi was established by a number of local industry enterprises, the biggest of which was J. M. Johansen AS, and all municipalities in the Lofoten area except for Værøy and Røst, in addition to other major investors.

 

Pertaining onshore facilities

 

Stamsund

All of Havfisk Stamsund AS's activities take place in Stamsund in Lofoten. The company was established in 1876, and it remained Norway's biggest producer and exporter of stockfish until the 1980s. The company is now wholly-owned by Lerøy Havfisk (formerly Aker Seafoods), and following major investments, the plant is now a modern fish product and fillet factory with state-of-the-art production equipment. The plant is leased to Norway Seafoods, which is responsible for its operation.

 

Melbu

All of Havfisk Melbu AS's activities take place in Melbu in Vesterålen. The company was formed by private investors in 1963 after being taken over from the Norwegian state. The plant was built during the Second World War, and was one of the most modern plants in Norway. The development of Melbu harbour with a new navigation channel was completed in 2008. Lerøy Havfisk (formerly Aker Seafoods) has contributed to the realisation of this project together with other local enterprises in Melbu, the municipality, the port authority and government agencies. The harbour now allows for calmer and safer entry and is a reliable harbour even in difficult weather conditions. It has also been adapted to accommodate larger vessels. The company is now wholly-owned by Lerøy Havfisk (formerly Aker Seafoods), and following major investments in buildings and production equipment in recent years, the plant has become a modern and efficient facility. The plant is leased to Norway Seafoods, which is responsible for its operation.

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Finnmark Havfiske AS

The company was established in 2006 after Aker Seafoods acquired West Fish-Aarsæther AS. The many companies in West Fish-Aarsæther AS, which had a total of approx. 11 cod trawling licences divided over a number of vessels, merged in 2006. The company currently owns and runs 4 trawlers. It has 11.5 cod trawling licences and 3 prawn licences.

 

Tilhørende landanlegg

 

Nordkyn/Kjøllefjord

The facility in Kjøllefjord was established by Brødrene Aarsæther early in the 20th century, and cod liver oil and stockfish production were the main activities. The present plant was built in the 1970s. Fresh fillets, crab and salted fish are produced here. The plant is leased to Norway Seafoods, which is responsible for its operation. 

 

Båtsfjord

The facility was established by Brødrene Aarsæther in 1949 and has been modernised several times over the years. In 2005, it was taken over by Lerøy Havfisk (formerly Aker Seafoods) and is now a modern producer of fillets and salted fish. Activities are based at Holmen in Båtsfjord, which has a good natural harbour, and the facility buys fresh fish from coastal vessels, the local and visiting fishing fleet. Fish is also landed by trawlers from Finnmark Havfiske AS owned by Lerøy Havfisk. The plant is leased to Norway Seafoods, which is responsible for its operation.

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Hammerfest Industrifiske AS

The company owns and operates two trawlers and has six cod trawling licences.

Hammerfest Industrifiske AS was established in 1953. The steam trawler Dunsby was bought from England and renamed Findus 1. In 1954, Findus 1 was modified and renamed Skaidi. Another three trawlers were bought from England and named Rairo, Gargia and Masi. The company's first stern trawler Håja was delivered in 1966.

During the period 1970–1973, the company's newbuild programme was implemented and the company got its present name. In 1989, 1996 and 1997, Gargia, Rairo and Masi underwent extensive modifications and upgrading. The company has replaced several of its trawlers since 1997 and is currently operating the vessels Doggi and Rypefjord. 

 

Pertaining onshore facilities

 

Rypefjord og Forsøl

The factory in Rypefjord was built by Norway Seafoods, now Lerøy Havfisk, in 2002. The plant was used as a filleting plant until 2014, when fillet production was moved to Forsøl. The factory in Forsøl runs fish landing facilities and produces fresh fish fillets. The factory in Rypefjord is now used for salted fish production. Both factories are leased to Norway Seafoods, which is responsible for their operation.