Norway appoints expert group to improve fish quality value, focusing on capture practices, landings and supply chain reforms across fishing industry
Government Targets Higher Value From Wild-Caught Fish
The Norwegian government has established a new expert group tasked with improving raw material quality across the wild capture fishing industry, in a move aimed at increasing value throughout the supply chain.
Announcing the initiative, Marianne Sivertsen Næss said the group will play a central role in shaping a more competitive and future-oriented seafood sector.
“One of my most important projects going forward is to contribute to a future-oriented and competitive seafood industry in Norway. The seafood industry contributes to jobs, activity and settlement along the entire coast. To help us in this important work, I have set up an expert group with broad expertise and experience,” she said.
Focus on Capture Stage and First-Hand Sales
The group has been given a broad mandate, with a particular focus on improving quality at both the capture stage and during landing and reception.
It will also examine how first-hand fish sales can be adjusted to better reflect and reward higher quality raw materials, an issue that has long been debated within the fishing sector.
“My goal is to find good and feasible measures to improve the quality of the raw material that is landed. We need to increase the quality of wild-caught raw material. This is about value chain thinking,” Næss said.
The emphasis on value chain integration suggests a recognition that quality issues are not confined to a single stage of production, but are influenced by practices from vessel to market.
Broad Industry Representation in Expert Group
The expert group includes representatives from across the fishing industry, processing sector, labour organisations, and research bodies.
Among those appointed are advisers from the Norwegian Fishermen’s Sales Organization, industry figures, active fishermen, and executives from seafood companies, alongside research leadership from Nofima.
The group will be chaired by State Secretary Kristina Sigurdsdottir Hansen from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, with additional support provided by a dedicated secretariat within the ministry.
Other bodies involved in the work include the Directorate of Fisheries and the Norwegian Seafood Council.
Long Timeline Raises Questions Over Urgency
The expert group is expected to provide ongoing advice before delivering its final recommendations by 1 March 2027.
While the initiative signals political intent to address quality and value challenges, the extended timeline may raise questions within the fishing industry about how quickly meaningful changes can be implemented.
Improving raw material quality has been a recurring objective in Norwegian fisheries policy, yet progress has often been uneven, particularly where it depends on changes in behaviour at sea and incentives at landing.
Industry Impact Will Depend on Implementation
The government’s focus on quality reflects a broader shift towards maximising value rather than volume in wild fisheries. However, the effectiveness of the expert group will ultimately depend on whether its recommendations translate into enforceable measures or remain advisory.
For the fishing sector, the challenge is familiar: balancing operational realities with increasing expectations around quality, traceability, and value creation.
Whether this latest initiative delivers tangible results, or simply adds another layer of policy discussion, will become clearer once the group begins its work.
