Statles Rorbu- og Konferansesenter

Our story

King Øystein Magnusson is said to have built the first rorbuer at the Lofoten Islands in the 12th century, so that foreign fishermen had a place to live. Previously, they had pulled their rowing boats ashore at the end of a working day, turned them over and used them as a shelter. Way back then, rorbuer were usually divided into two rooms: one to sleep in with several men, and another for storing and repairing the fishing equipment and for waiting out storms.

Until the 1960s, our rorbuer looked just like that and were reserved entirely for seasonal fishermen. Today, fishermen can live aboard their ships, and our rorbuer come as furnished modern houses. You can still feel the tradition in their setup – small bedrooms and large living room facilities.

Our business dates to 1927, when Ottar Statle, stemming from a family of fishermen and peasants in Borge, at the age of 21 obtained his trading license and founded the one-man operation OTTAR STATLE. In Mærvoll (near Unstad beach) he established his fishing farm, cod liver oil production, and a store. When, in 1950, the left side of Mortsund harbor came up for sale, he chose to buy it. As resources were scarce after the war, Ottar tore down all buildings in Mærvoll and shipped their parts to Mortsund, where he literally rebuilt his business from scratch.

Salt fish and stock fish were produced in Mortsund, roe was prepared for caviar and cod liver for cod liver oil. Ottar also ran a general store, where the entire neighborhood purchased their supplies, in addition to a post and telegraph office, which had been operative in Mortsund since 1891 (and lasted until 1997).

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