Marine fish in Norway

Norway’s coastline is among the most biologically diverse marine regions in Europe. Kelp forests, sandy bays, rocky reefs and deep fjords create a patchwork of habitats, supporting a nice variety of fish species. The southern coast, influenced by the warmer waters of the North Sea and Skagerrak, is particularly rich. And that’s exactly where we went, armed with a fish checklist and a selection of target species.
Over the course of exploring rocky coastlines, piers, and deep-water drop-offs, we recorded 41 fish species. Though not all of them appear in the photographs here. Among the highlights were the Tadpole fish, with its odd expression, and the Velvet belly lanternshark, a small deepwater shark. We also managed to find all the local wrasse species, each showing off its dazzling colors.
And then came the moment we didn’t expect. Out of nowhere, a Beluga whale appeared in one of the fjords we visited. Yes, an actual Beluga. A slice of Arctic magic in Southern Norway. For a few seconds we just stared, wondering if we were accidentally hallucinating from too many late-night species hunting. I sent the drone upward, capturing the whale’s gentle path from above. It was easily the most extraordinary sight of the trip.