Norway seafood exports fall in kroner terms as pelagic, whitefish and crustaceans weaken, despite currency-adjusted gains.
Norway exported seafood in February worth NOK 13.8 billion (approx. $1.30bn/€1.19bn/£1.02bn), a decrease of NOK 262 million, or 2 per cent, compared with the same month last year.
Over the first two months of 2026, total seafood exports reached NOK 28.5 billion (approx. $2.69bn/€2.46bn/£2.11bn), down NOK 777 million, or 2.7 per cent, on the same period in 2025.
Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, said lower supplies of shellfish and wild-caught fish due to quota reductions, combined with a troubled global trade environment and tariff barriers, have dampened market performance. A strengthening Norwegian krone also reduced export values when measured in kroner.
Pelagic: Robust Herring Partly Offsets Mackerel Decline
Herring exports delivered the strongest performance among pelagic species. Norway shipped 44,475 tonnes of herring worth NOK 703 million (approx. $0.07bn/€0.06bn/£0.05bn) in February, up 40 per cent in value and 67 per cent in volume year-on-year. Egypt, Denmark and Lithuania were among the largest markets.
Jan Eirik Johnsen, Head of Pelagic Species at the Norwegian Seafood Council, said total herring landings in January and February reached 170,000 tonnes, a 64 per cent increase on 2025 and the highest comparable level since 2012.
By contrast, mackerel exports struggled. Norway exported 8,311 tonnes of mackerel worth NOK 423 million (approx. $0.04bn/€0.04bn/£0.03bn), down 31 per cent in value and 56 per cent in volume compared with February 2025. The 2025/2026 mackerel season ended with total landings of around 185,000 tonnes, down 44 per cent from the previous season.
Whitefish: Cod Exports Hit By Quotas And Lower Volumes
Whitefish exports were weaker across key categories as quota reductions continued to restrict supply.
Fresh cod exports totalled 4,006 tonnes worth NOK 392 million (approx. $0.04bn/€0.03bn/£0.03bn) in February, with volume down 15 per cent. Fresh wild cod exports dipped 21 per cent to 2,552 tonnes, valued at NOK 280 million (approx. $0.03bn/€0.02bn/£0.02bn) — the lowest volume for a February since 2009.
Frozen cod volumes fell sharply, with 1,690 tonnes worth NOK 176 million (approx. $0.02bn/€0.02bn/£0.01bn) exported in February, down 66 per cent by volume and 57 per cent by value. Seafood analyst Eivind Hestvik Brækkan noted that quota reductions have intensified competition for raw materials and challenged processing capacity.
Skrei exports also weakened. Norway exported 730 tonnes worth NOK 78 million (approx. $0.01bn/€0.01bn/£0.01bn), down 20 per cent in volume and 10 per cent in value, with Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain the largest markets.
Clipfish exports declined too. Norway shipped 4,425 tonnes worth NOK 421 million (approx. $0.04bn/€0.04bn/£0.03bn), down 19 per cent in value and 37 per cent in volume, with Portugal remaining the largest market despite falling volumes.
Crustaceans: King Crab, Snow Crab And Prawns Weaken Sharply
Crustacean exports recorded marked declines as global demand softened.
King crab exports totalled 151 tonnes worth NOK 97 million (approx. $0.01bn/€0.01bn/£0.01bn), down 47 per cent in value and 32 per cent in volume. Snow crab exports were 1,798 tonnes worth NOK 309 million (approx. $0.03bn/€0.03bn/£0.02bn), a 34 per cent drop in value.
Prawn exports bore the brunt of the downturn. Norway exported 612 tonnes worth NOK 66 million (approx. $0.01bn/€0.01bn/£0.01bn) in February, down 57 per cent in value and 78 per cent in volume. Sweden, the UK and Finland were among the largest markets, with Finland recording modest volume growth on the prior year.
Chramer highlighted a significant fall in seafood exports to the United States, where shipments totalled NOK 1 billion (approx. $0.09bn/€0.09bn/£0.08bn) in February — down 36 per cent year-on-year — largely driven by declines in fresh salmon fillets, king crab and snow crab.
Farmed Salmon Continues To Lead Export Value
Farmed salmon remained the dominant contributor to export value. Norway shipped 97,463 tonnes worth NOK 9.4 billion (approx. $0.89bn/€0.81bn/£0.70bn) of salmon in February, representing a 5 per cent increase in value and a 10 per cent gain in volume over February 2025.
Export growth to China was particularly strong, driven by Chinese New Year demand. Norway exported 11,512 tonnes of salmon to China, up 126 per cent on the prior year. Improved retail distribution and gift pack sales were cited as key factors behind the surge.
However, salmon exports to the US declined by NOK 339 million (approx. $32m/€29m/£25m), reflecting a combination of customs duties, trade uncertainty, stronger competition and a weaker US dollar.
Overall, while salmon continues to anchor Norway’s seafood export performance, quota reductions and weaker wild catch volumes have weighed heavily on pelagic, whitefish and crustacean segments in early 2026.
