The first-half of 2025 was the best ever opening six months for Norwegian seafood in terms of exports, with a total 1.3 million tonnes of products sold overseas for a record of NOK 85.2 billion. According to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), this was equivalent to a volume of 36 million meals every single day.
NSC’s CEO Christian Chramer said the performance showed that Norwegian seafood exports are strong, even in the face of demanding market conditions and increasing trade barriers.
“The fact that we are seeing growth in the value of exports to key markets such as the US, China and the UK confirms the high level of confidence in Norwegian seafood products. This emphasises the robustness of the value chain and the value of effective market access and the seafood companies’ long-term efforts in prioritised markets,” he said.
Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Policy, Marianne Sivertsen Næss commented: “In a half-year marked by turbulence and uncertainty, it is especially gratifying to see that exports of Norwegian seafood not only remain robust but are actually growing. This underscores the industry’s ability to supply sustainable, high-quality seafood that people all over the world demand.”
The first-half 2025 export value represented an increase of 6% or NOK 4.6 billion on the corresponding period of 2024, with the United States, Poland and China providing the largest markets.
Of these markets, sales to the US saw the highest growth in value, with an increase in export value of 38% or NOK 2.4 billion compared with the first-half of last year to NOK 8.7 billion. The export volume to the US ended at 66,299 tonnes, which was 29% higher than in the first-half of last year.
In total, seafood was exported to 151 countries in the six-month period, which was 10 more than in the first-half of last year.
The value generated by aquaculture products (NOK 61.9 billion) accounted for 73% of total seafood exports measured in value, while its volume represented 50% at 700,000 tonnes. With the other 50% (700,000 tonnes) worth NOK 22.7 billion in sales, Norway’s fisheries accounted for 27% of the export value.
“Our export engine, Norwegian salmon, has increased by 3% in value, measured against last year, thereby boosting the value for the first half of the year. In addition, trout exports have grown strongly, along with far more valuable mackerel, herring and snow crab exports than in the same period last year,” Chramer said.
In H1 2025, Norway exported 609,946 tonnes of salmon with a value of NOK 57.8 billion, with Poland, the US and France providing the product’s main markets.
“China had the highest value growth in the first half of the year, with an increase in export value of NOK 1,494 million, or 62%, compared with the first-half of last year. The export volume to China ended at 42,224 tonnes, which is 122% higher than in the first-half of last year,” NSC Seafood Analyst Paul Aandahl said.
So far this year, China has been Norway’s sixth largest salmon market in terms of value, after Poland, the US, France, Spain and the Netherlands.
“Poland is still Norway’s largest salmon market, despite zero growth in value compared with the first-half of last year,” Aandahl said. “Inventory reductions in the first four months of the year characterised direct exports in these months, but a strong May and June meant that the value is now at the same level as last year.
“Exports to the US increased strongly in the first five months of the year, but the trend reversed in June, with a fall of 10% in value. This development must be seen in the light of global demand, a tough competitive situation and the availability of fish of the right size.”
In the whitefish category, Norway exported 22,669 tonnes of fresh cod worth NOK 1.8 billion in the six-month period, with the volume and value down 20% and 1% respectively. Denmark, the Netherlands and Latvia were the product’s largest markets.
The country also shipped 21,569 tonnes of frozen cod, again worth NOK 1.8 billion, down 35% and 10% respectively. The UK, China and Vietnam were its main markets.
“Competition for access to cod is increasing in line with lower quotas, and developments in our traditionally largest market, the UK, once again show that they still want their fish and chips. However, the industry is experiencing significant challenges with higher costs and a price level that is contributing to a decline in consumption,” NSC’s Seafood Envoy to the UK Victoria Braathen said.
She added: “US tariffs against China have affected the flow of goods for frozen cod. China is still the second-largest market for frozen cod, followed by Vietnam in third place. Both China and Vietnam are processing markets for frozen cod, and both re-export most of it as frozen fillets to the US and Europe.”
