US Market Challenges Push Norwegian Salmon Fillet Exports Down 37%, Poland and China Surge

Norwegian seafood exports fell 3% in value at the start of 2026 compared to January last year, as the US market faced “unpredictable tariffs,” a weaker dollar, and rising competition, the Norwegian Seafood Council reports. CEO Christian Chramer pointed to lower salmon prices, reduced quotas for several wild species, and challenging market access as key factors behind the decline.

At this point last year, the US was the largest single market for Norwegian seafood. Today, the value of exports destined for the US has declined...

Larry's Catch Secures Investment on Canadian Show Dragons' Den

"Dragons' Den" is a television program in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas and models to a panel of Canadian business moguls, similar to the US hit show "Shark Tank."

On January 22, 2026, Larry's Catch debuted on the show, presenting its vision to make premium, wild-caught, and sustainable Canadian seafood accessible to households nationwide. After sharing their compelling mission and support for Canadian fishing families, co-founders Glen Creaser, James Quinn, and Javier Mejorada received offers from three Dragons.

"Pitching on Dragons'...

Ode Scores Milestone as Top Cod Supplier in Norway, Acquires 3 Farming Sites

Norwegian cod farmer Ode, after celebrating its spot as the top supplier of cod out of Norway in 2025, announced a deal to acquire three farming sites from Vesterålen Havbruk, it announced on January 27.

Ode said the sites Apalset, Stokkeneset, and Rekvika previously belonged to the listed company Statt Torsk and became part of Vesterålen Havbruk following the 2024 merger. Since 2024, the Rekvika site has been operated jointly by the Ode and Vesterålen Havbruk, while the other two sites...

GSMC 2026: Whitefish Panel Discusses Reshuffling Supply Amid Cod Decline, Growing Pollock Momentum

At GSMC 2026, the Whitefish Panel, led by Expana’s own Angel Rubio and Paul Jewer, CEO of High Liner Foods, underscored a major reshuffling underway in whitefish supply as cod availability tightens globally. Panelists highlighted pollock's rising prominence, greater familiarity, and growing integration into consumer-facing menus, as cod faces persistent supply constraints and higher prices.

Rubio set the stage with data showing continued declines in global Atlantic and Pacific cod harvests over the past decade, driven by strong ongoing demand and constrained supply...

Norwegian Skrei Season Begins with Industry Expecting “Excellent” Quality in 2026

The Norwegian skrei season is getting underway, and the industry is expecting a strong season after the species quality was recorded as “excellent” by those leading quality control efforts.

Jonnette Braathen of the Skrei Patrol looks ahead to the 2026 season: “The quality should be excellent as always – the standard stands firm. The most important task of the Skrei Patrol is to keep a good dialogue with the producers, enabling them to make the right decisions when they sort the skrei for packaging with the label...

Russia Continues Supplies of its Cod and Pollock to EU Despite the Existing Restrictions and Duties

Russia continues the supplies of its cod and pollock to the EU despite the existing restrictions and duties although this does not lead to decline of fish prices in the European market.

In fact, the European Union banned imports of caviar from Russia after the beginning of Russian-Ukranian war, but other fish products, including cod, still remained on the market being not a subject of bans. In 2024, the EU revoked Russian fisherman their tariff exemptions, but purchases of Russian

Russia, India Set Ambitious Fisheries Cooperation Agenda Post-Putin Visit

Russia plans to expand cooperation with India in the fisheries sector, following agreements made during Russian President Putin's recent visit to India.

The plans include establishing joint ventures focused on maritime logistics, deep-sea fishing, and fishing port automation.

Russia is especially optimistic about increasing Indian seafood imports, with particular emphasis on shrimp supplies. According to Russia’s Agriculture Minister Oksana Luth, India remains a leading shrimp supplier to Russia and imports are expected to grow further in 2026.

“India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of shrimp...

Norway’s November Seafood Exports Fall as Asia Gains Share While US, Europe Lose Ground

Norway saw its seafood exports fall from a value standpoint for the second month in a row, as US tariffs led to market shifts, and the increased value of the Norwegian krone has made the country’s seafood products more expensive, according to the latest update from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

“This is the second month in a row that seafood exports have fallen in value compared with the same month last year. In November, even historically high prices were unable to compensate...

Scott & Jon's Expands Presence with Launch at Whole Foods Market

Scott & Jon's is expanding its brand presence in grocery stores nationwide following a recent partnership announcement.

The frozen meal manufacturer is bringing four of its seafood bowls to Whole Foods Market.

The lineup includes three of the brand's most popular recipes and a new flavor.

• Honey Sesame Salmon: A company bestseller featuring salmon, rice and vegetables, and dressed with a sweet and savory sauce.
• Lemon Butter Dill Salmon: A fresh take on a seafood classic, featuring salmon with al dente penne pasta...

US Share of Norwegian Salmon Slips as Tariffs Push Growth Toward Asia in 2025

The United States has become a smaller share of the Norwegian salmon market in recent months as tariffs play a significant role in the market shift.

In its monthly Norwegian seafood export update, the Norwegian Seafood Council said that salmon export growth to the US has slowed down in recent months. Over the last three months, only 8% of Norwegian salmon exports were destined for the us. That number was as high as 11.5% in the first quarter of 2025. Despite this, the US remains among...

The Winding Glass: Alaska Fisheries Face Crisis due to Gov’t Shutdown

December is the most important meeting of the year for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Quotas are set for all Alaskan species under federal management, with the pollock and cod fisheries beginning the following month. Federal staff are furloughed, data work has stopped, and NMFS warns that a shutdown lasting more than two weeks could force precautionary quotas or missed deadlines for next year’s TACs. The shutdown is now approaching 30 days.

This disruption comes on top of the already severe erosion of NOAA personnel...

Norcod Extends Sales, Distribution Partnership with Sirena Group

Norwegian cod farmer Norcod AS extended its strategic sales and distribution partnership with Sirena Group as it focuses on future growth.

Sirena Group will handle Norcod’s sales, marketing and logistics for its farmed cod and Snow cod. Norcod stated that this will enable the company to concentrate on enhancing its production efforts.

CEO in Norcod, Christian Riber, said:

"Working with Sirena Group gives Norcod a decisive advantage. Their global network and proven strength in seafood markets give us direct access to the right

Amazon Rolls Out Private Label Grocery Brand with Seafood Range

Amazon has entered the private label space with a splash. The company debuted Amazon Grocery, a private label brand featuring over 1,000 food items, including seafood, at the start of the month.

The company said the new private label brand will unite customer favorite Amazon Fresh and Happy Belly brands into one collection, available on both Amazon.com and Amazon Fresh stores.

"With Amazon Grocery, we're simplifying how customers discover and shop our extensive private label food selection while maintaining the quality and value our customers expect and deserve...

Japan: Frozen Cod Imports from January to July Fell 67%; Prices Soared, Mainly Due to Russian Fish

Prices for imported frozen cod soared early this year due to a global catch shortage. According to trade statistics, the total volume from January to July was 690 tons, representing a 67% decrease from the same period in the previous year. Of this, 262 tons were shipped from the United States, down 44% from the same period last year, at an average price of 828 yen/kg ($5.60/kg), up 16%, while...

Norway’s August Seafood Export Value Falls; US Values Decline Amid New 15% Tariff

The Norwegian Seafood Council said Norway's seafood exports witnessed a 2% decline in value in August, compared to the same month a year ago. The council highlighted a drop in exports to the US amid increased tariffs of 15% on seafood from Norway and its European Union neighbors.

"The summer of 2025 has been marked by considerable turmoil in the markets. Changes in customs duties on exports to the US are affecting Norwegian seafood exports and posing challenges for the global seafood trade. In addition, increased competition...

Baltic Nations Raise Concerns Over Potential Stock Drops of Baltic Sea Species

The volume of catch in the Baltic Sea may significantly decline in years to come, mainly due to the ongoing reduction of local fish stocks, which is observed by fishermen from Russia and the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.  

According to earlier statements, made by scientists of the Atlantic branch of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) - one of Russia’s leading research institutions in the field of fisheries – perhaps the most complex situation is observed in case of cod, which...

GBH News to Premiere New Podcast: Catching The Codfather

GBH News today announced the upcoming premiere of Catching The Codfather, a new podcast from the Peabody Award-winning team behind The Big Dig and Scratch & Win. Catching The Codfather traces the true-crime story of New England fishing tycoon Carlos Rafael, his controversial rise, and the federal sting operation that finally brought him down exactly 10 years ago this month. The six-part limited series, the latest season of GBH News’ The Big Dig™ podcast, is hosted by Ian Coss...

Russia Plans Major 2026 Catch Increases for Crab, Fish Species

Russia plans to significantly raise total allowable catch quotas for specific fish species and crabs in 2026, based on data from recent scientific expeditions.

Rosrybolovstvo reports that greenling quotas in the North Kuril subzone will increase by 54.1% to 18,500 tons. Cod quotas in the South Kuril subzone are set to grow by 8.7%, while whelk quotas in the North Okhotsk subzone will rise by 19%.

Crab quotas will also see increases due to significant stock growth. Kamchatka crab catch limits in the West Sakhalin subzone...

GSMC 2026: Seafood Volumes Slip in Foodservice, But Sushi, Shrimp, and Deli Items Show Promise

Seafood volumes in US foodservice fell in 2025, with shellfish driving most of the decline, Melissa Rodriguez, VP Perimeter at Circana, told attendees at the Global Seafood Market Conference. Total seafood servings were down year‑over‑year, as a 5.9% drop in shellfish outpaced a 2.1% gain in fish. Restaurants, which account for nearly three‑quarters of total seafood pound volume, saw their volumes decline even as dollar sales increased, a sign that menu price inflation is masking the pullback in consumption...

Winding Glass: Trump Policies of Tariff and Weak Dollar Damaged Seafood in 2025, Likely to Continue 

Tariffs and a weak dollar created artificial seafood supply shortages in the US in 2025. The result: higher prices for consumers, reduced consumption, and a reorientation of global trade flows away from America.

Supply is the ultimate driver of seafood pricing, as any boat captain landing in New Bedford, Gloucester or Maine will tell you. On days with more boats, prices are down.

The same dynamic holds at the stock level. When a population expands or contracts, it changes the...

Russia Eyes Haddock and Pollock as Alternatives Amid Cod Decline

Russia continues to face declining cod catches due to low stock levels and changing climatic conditions, adversely affecting production.

To compensate, local analysts suggest increasing haddock and pollock catches as possible replacements for cod.

German Zverev, head of the All-Russian Association of Fish Producers (VARPE), told Kommersant that cod has an unfortunate history—200–250 years ago, it was the main commercial target for Russian fishermen. However, high demand combined with natural factors has led to overexploitation of cod populations in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...

2026 Pollock TAC Steady for Bering Sea, Aleutians, Bogoslof with Revised Regional Allocations

The 2026 total annual catch (TAC) for pollock has been set at the same level as last year — 1.394 million metric tons (mmt) in the Bering Sea (BS)/Aleutian Islands (AI) and Bogoslof area. The difference is how the TAC is allocated this year, with the biggest change in the AI, although at a much smaller scale than the Bering Sea's pollock TAC. 

In the Bering Sea, the 2026 TAC dropped from 1.389 mmt last year to 1.375 mmt in 2026...

Alaska Pollock Biomass Drops 30%, But Federal Shutdown Delays Stock Assessment Process

A summer survey of the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) showed a 30% drop in the biomass of Walleye pollock in the area compared to a 2024 survey. 

Results of the 2025 Eastern and Northern Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey, which were released to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s groundfish plan team in September, showed a drop from last year’s 5.5 million metric tons to a current 3.8 million metric tons of pollock in the area. 

Other species also showed drops in biomass: Pacific cod dropped...

Failed Norway Talks Could Trigger Cod Shortage, Price Spike in Russia

The situation for cod in Russia could worsen quickly if Moscow and Oslo fail to reach an agreement on Barents Sea cod quotas.

Norwegian and Russian media report that negotiations are ongoing but have made little progress. If talks collapse, Russia’s cod sector could face shortages and a sharp rise in prices.

Since the start of the Russia‑Ukraine war, Norway has generally supported EU sanctions packages, while seeking to maintain fisheries cooperation with Russia. In August, however, Oslo restricted two Russian fishing companies on state‑security grounds...

Rosrybolovstvo Forecasts 5% Decline in Catch; Exports Still Eye US$6 Billion in 2025

Russia expects fish catch to fall up to 5% this year, mainly because Iwashi sardine migrations bypassed traditional fishing grounds, Rosrybolovstvo head Ilya Shestakov said.

VARPE (All‑Russian Association of Fishery Producers) earlier reported that oceanographic conditions in the northwest Pacific in late spring and summer 2025 caused Iwashi sardines to move away from customary Russian fishing areas.

“Right now, three trawlers—our research vessels—are searching for Iwashi. If we find them, the catch will be about...

VARPE, VASEP Pact Aims to Expand Russian Seafood Exports to Vietnam 

Russia and Vietnam have agreed to significantly expand joint fish trade under a memorandum signed by the Russian fish association VARPE and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) during an international forum in St. Petersburg.

The memorandum commits both sides to expand trade volumes, simplify cross-border procedures, and develop scientific cooperation in the fisheries sector. For Russia, the agreement opens greater access for Russian fishermen and processors to Vietnam’s large and growing seafood market.

Herman Zverev, head of VARPE, said Vietnam...

Norwegian Exports Climb in September as China Buoys Salmon Demand, US Fresh Sales Slip

Norwegian seafood exports posted robust numbers in September, buoyed by both rising prices and strong demand, particularly for salmon shipped to China, according to the latest figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, credited higher prices for mackerel, cod, saithe and king crab to go along with the strong growth in the Chinese market.

"The EU is still our largest overall market, but Norway is now taking an increasing share of the growing Chinese salmon and prawn market...

Aquaculture Stewardship Council Welcomes Atlantic Cod to Sustainability Program

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced that it will add Atlantic cod to its program in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The decision followed a 30-day stakeholder consultation period that garnered feedback and input from numerous stakeholders, including producers of the species.

Chris Ninnes, ASC CEO, said, “The certification of Atlantic cod marks an important milestone for ASC, demonstrating our ability to respond quickly to market demand for new species.

“Demand for ASC certified Atlantic cod is growing among both farmers and retailers...

Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo Promotes Farmed Atlantic Cod for Sashimi Consumption

According to a Minato Shimbun column, this year marks the 40th anniversary of Norway's "Project Japan," which cultivates the Japanese market for Norwegian salmon. It introduced the culture of eating raw salmon to Japan and remains widely recognized as a successful example of exports to Japan. Used in sushi, its deliciousness has spread worldwide. 

The Norwegian Embassy Fisheries Section will continue the project's story and know-how and propose new sushi toppings and sashimi to Japan. Recently, at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, it promoted farmed seafood products that...

Japan's H1 Frozen Black Cod Imports Down 3%; Import Price of US Black Cod Up 25%

According to the Ministry of Finance's trade statistics, frozen black cod imports in the first half of this year (January to June) totaled 3,379 tons, a 3% decrease from the same period last year. The average price rose 27% to 1,321 yen/kg ($8.93/kg). The 3,117-ton imports from the United States accounted for 92% of the total. Of this, the import price for American products was 1,316 yen/kg ($8.90/kg), representing a 25% increase...