In total, Norway exported 2.8 million tonnes of seafood worth NOK181.5 billion (US$18.07 billion) last year, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) confirmed recently.
The NSC remarked that this is a record value, and corresponds to 38 million meals every single day all year round.
The figure indicated an increase of NOK6.4 billion (US$640 million), or four per cent, compared with 2024.
"2025 was a demanding seafood year, with lower quotas and catches at price records for all our most important wild-caught species," said Christian Chramer, NSC CEO.
"The year was also characterised by strong volume growth for salmon. Despite a significantly lower salmon price, it was a record year in terms of value for Norwegian seafood exports."
The largest markets for Norwegian seafood exports in 2025 were Poland, the USA, and China.
In 2025, nine per cent of Norwegian seafood exports went to the USA. This is the highest proportion since 1989.
In April and August, however, the United States increased the tariff rate for Norwegian seafood, and it is currently 15 per cent or higher on all products.
"The USA's new tariffs created a lot of noise and unrest for Norwegian seafood exports," added Chramer. "From being a market with record growth and an almost insatiable appetite for salmon and crab from Norway in the first half of 2025, US trade throughout the year was characterised by tariffs, a weaker dollar and a weaker development."
Chramer clarified that the US is by far the world's largest market for the consumption of salmon and has over time been one of Norway's largest growth markets, also in 2025.
"This is very important for Norwegian seafood, and the potential for further growth is still great."
The NSC said it was the European market that bought the most Norwegian seafood last year. For the 12th year in a row, Poland was the largest, but the total share of value that was exported to Europe fell from 67 per cent to 63 per cent.
China had the largest growth in value in 2025, with an increase in export value of NOK2.9 billion (US$290 million), or 31 per cent, compared with the previous year. The country bought Norwegian seafood for a total of NOK12.3 billion (US$1.22 billion) and went from being Norway's sixth largest market in 2024 to its third largest market in 2025.
