Vestre Jakobselv Fishermen's Cooperative's premises are situated by the mouth of the river Jakobselva in the village Vestre Jakobselv, which is 15 km west of Vadsø. The buildings date from the period from 1946 into the 1970s, and comprised all the buildings and installations needed for a fully functioning fish processing plant at the time. There are a wharf and areas for sorting, preparing and storing the fish, as well as accommodation for fishermen not living locally. The architecture is typical of the post WW2 reconstruction era with traditional shapes and materials. Here the buildings are clad with ochre wooden cladding and they have pitched slate or corrugated metal roofs.

Vestre Jakobselv Fishermen's Cooperative was one of many established during the early years after the WW2. Up until the mid 1950s they were very successful and made good money. However, many of the processing plants were too big and gradually had to be sold off at a loss. In Vestre Jakobselv this happened in 1970. The processing plant was sold to two local interested parties of which one continued with traditional fishing related activities. The newer buildings are now used for hospitality and tourism by an enterprise with the Kven (the language spoken by the descendants of Finnish immigrants to Norway) name Pikkuskitsi.

1946-1970

Vestre Jakobselv Fishermens Cooperative

Fish factory

fish processing plant

accommodation

Timber stud framework

wood

Dancke, Trond M. E.: Opp av ruinene, Oslo 1986.

Hage, Ingebjørg med flere: Arkitektur i Nord-Norge, Bergen 2008.