Norwegian Sea

The Norwegian Sea along the coast of Troms leads north towards Finnmark and the Barents Sea. Islands and fjords give shelter from the open water, and coastal Sámi and Norwegian communities drew on the region's fisheries. Dried fish connected the northern coast with Bergen, while sailors and merchants followed the shores eastward towards Finnmark and Russia. These sea routes linked settlements separated by mountain and inlet, even as weather could make passage along the exposed coast difficult.