The main reason for the decline in value in October was a sharp drop in the export volume of mackerel and herring

Norway's October Seafood Exports Dip Despite Record Salmon Sales

NORWAY
Thursday, November 06, 2025, 10:00 (GMT + 9)

Mackerel and Herring Slump Causes 1% Value Drop as Focus Shifts to Asian Markets

OSLO – Norway exported seafood worth approximately $1.65 billion (NOK 18.3 billion) in October, marking a 1% decline—or a decrease of about $11 million (NOK 122 million)—compared to the same month last year. Despite the dip, October was still the second highest month on record for Norwegian seafood exports.

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Record Salmon Performance Couldn't Offset Overall Decline

"The main reason for the decline in the value of seafood exports in October was a sharp fall in the export volume of mackerel and herring," stated Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council. "Most other major species saw an increase in value in October. For salmon, there was an export record for a single month, both in terms of volume and value, in addition to an increase in value for cod, trout, saithe, and haddock."

Slower Growth in the US; Asia Surges

The largest markets for Norwegian seafood exports in October were Poland, the USA, and the Netherlands.

"In recent years, the US has become an increasingly important market for Norwegian salmon, and in the first quarter of this year, as much as 11.5 per cent of all Norwegian salmon measured in value was exported to the US," explained Chramer. "In recent months, however, growth to the US has slowed. In the last three months, only 8 per cent of Norwegian salmon exports have gone to the US."

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Simultaneously, exports to Asia have seen a significant increase. Chramer noted that 20 per cent of Norwegian salmon exports have gone to Asia in the last three months, up from 17 per cent in the same period last year. This surge is driven by "strong growth in demand in China, as well as tariffs on Norwegian salmon in the USA," according to Chramer.

Poland Leads Monthly Growth; Year-to-Date Exports Up

Poland saw the highest value growth in October, with an increase in export value of approximately $41 million (NOK 456 million), a 23 per cent jump compared to last year. The export volume to Poland reached 38,157 tonnes, 15 per cent higher than the prior year's month.

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So far this year, Norway has exported seafood worth approximately $13.41 billion (NOK 149 billion), an increase of 4.2 per cent from the same period in the previous year. Poland, the USA, and China are the largest markets year-to-date, with China being highlighted as the largest growth market in terms of value.

Year-to-date seafood exports have increased by approximately $540 million (NOK 6 billion). This increase is mainly attributed to a $216 million (NOK 2.4 billion) rise in the export value of salmon. Other significant contributors to the year's growth include:

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