Grieg Family Splits Business Ownership and Brings in Belgian Co-Investor

After more than 140 years of unified stewardship, the Grieg family has divided the business ownership of the Grieg Group — separating the salmon farming interests of the Willumsen Grieg branch from the rest of the family and bringing in Belgian investment giant Ackermans & van Haaren (AvH) as a new co-owner and majority shareholder in Grieg Seafood.

Under the restructuring, announced August 27, the Willumsen Grieg branch will take over the group's 50.2% stake in Grieg Seafood ASA through the holding...

Canada Commits $53M to Build Three New Pacific Salmon Hatcheries in British Columbia

The federal government has announced more than $53 million in construction contracts for three new Pacific salmon hatcheries across British Columbia, all developed in partnership with Indigenous nations and aimed at reversing steep declines in Chinook and sockeye populations.

The announcements, made August 25 by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson, cover facilities on the upper Fraser River near Hanceville, in Prince George, and on the Kitwanga River in Gitanyow territory — each tied to a separate First Nation and targeting distinct at-risk salmon populations...

Canada Pulls Seafood From Counter-Tariff List After Industry Pushback

Canada's Department of Finance has reversed course on one of the more contentious elements of its retaliatory tariff package, removing fish and seafood products from its list of US goods facing counter-tariffs, less than 24 hours after the measures were announced.

The department said it made the adjustment based on feedback from Canadian industries, citing a commitment to continually assess the effectiveness of its counter-tariff measures, with a primary focus on sectors that have themselves been targeted by US tariffs. Seafood, notably, has not been...

Nordic Aqua Partners Reaches Full Capacity at China RAS Farm, Eyes Stage 3 Expansion

Nordic Aqua Partners has reached full run-rate at its recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) Atlantic salmon farm in Ningbo, China, bringing annual production capacity to 8,000 metric tons following the completion of Stage 2 of the project.

CEO Ragnar Joensen said the company is now "fully up and running" at that capacity, with operational performance described as solid. Combined with good fish health and welfare, he said the results are supporting improved fish growth, higher harvest weights, and lower production costs...

China's Sashimi Revolution Opens New Frontier for Imported Salmon

China's rapid embrace of sashimi is driving a structural shift in its salmon import market, with new data from the Norwegian Seafood Council pointing to demand growth that shows little sign of slowing.

Chinese salmon imports rose 43 percent in the first half of 2026, extending a trend that saw the category grow 50 percent across the full year of 2025. The two-year surge has elevated China to Norway's third-largest seafood market in 2025, up from sixth in 2024, with Norwegian seafood exports to China reaching...

Norway to Require Digital Operational Plan Submissions from All Marine Fish Farms From 2027

Norway's food safety authority has launched a new digital system for aquaculture operational plans and made that data publicly accessible — a significant shift in how the country's salmon farming industry documents and shares its site-level management practices.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Mattilsynet, announced that all marine aquaculture facilities will be required to submit their operational plans through the new digital platform from 2027. The system is now live, and Mattilsynet has simultaneously opened the operational plan data from sea-based aquaculture facilities to the...

SalMar Posts Record Biological Performance in Q2, Raises Full-Year Harvest Guidance

SalMar reported record-strong biological performance in the second quarter of 2026, with the Norwegian salmon farming giant delivering its highest-ever group harvest volume and raising its full-year guidance on the strength of the results.

Group harvest volume for Q2 reached 81,800 tonnes, with operational EBIT for the group coming in at NOK 1,237 million for the quarter. The Norwegian operations were the primary driver, delivering operational EBIT of NOK 1,227 million on 71,500 tonnes harvested — with Icelandic Salmon and SalMar Ocean accounting for the remainder...

Norway's Polar Quality and Fram Seafood to Merge, Creating $800M Northern Norwegian Export Player

Norwegian seafood exporters Polar Quality AS and Fram Seafood have announced plans to merge, creating a Bodø-based export company with combined annual revenues of approximately NOK 7.7 billion — roughly $800 million — and a strengthened position in international salmon markets.

"Our goal has always been to build a solid and future-oriented export company with a long-term perspective and a clear position in the world market," said Jarle Solemdal, Chairman of the Board of Polar Quality AS...

BioMar Norway Orders New Hybrid Feed Vessel, Boosting Logistics Along Norwegian Coast

BioMar Norway has signed a long-term agreement with Norwegian shipping company Egil Ulvan Rederi for the construction and operation of a new fish feed carrier set to enter service in the second quarter of 2029, the company announced this week.

The vessel, designated the NSD 75CC and designed by the Norwegian Ship Design Company (NSD), is approximately 70 meters in length with a deadweight capacity of around 4,000 tonnes. It will be built at Jiangsu Soho Marine Heavy Industry in China and owned and operated...

Suempol Breaks Ground on 50,000-Tonne Salmon Plant That Would More Than Double Capacity

Suempol, Poland's oldest and one of the world's largest producers of smoked salmon, has announced plans to build a new fish processing center in the Pełczyce municipality of West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The facility is expected to become operational in Q4 2027 and will employ approximately 300 people.

The company said the investment is part of its long-term growth strategy, with the new center set to significantly expand Suempol's production capacity. Trade reports indicate the plant could handle up to 50,000 tonnes of salmon annually, more...

Pink Salmon Surge Gives Alaska's Statewide Salmon Harvest a Boost — But Season Remains Below Pace

Through August 17, Alaska's statewide salmon harvest continues its lackluster performance, with total catch at 72.14 million fish — led by sockeye at 36.63 million and pink salmon at 26.13 million.

The numbers got a boost roughly ten days ago when pink salmon surged during Statistical Week 33 (August 9–15), with nearly 13 million fish landed that week. Almost half came from Kodiak, where the cumulative harvest is now up 63% from the 2024 benchmark...

Salmon Evolution Posts Q2 Loss on Weak Prices as Phase 2 Ramp-Up Gets Underway

Norwegian land-based salmon farmer Salmon Evolution delivered continued operational progress in the second quarter of 2026 but posted a Group EBITDA loss of NOK 11.1 million as weak salmon prices weighed on results.

Farming EBITDA came in at negative NOK 3.0 million for the quarter, with year-to-date farming EBITDA at NOK 14.6 million. Farming costs were approximately NOK 71/kg in Q2, slightly down from Q1 and 13% lower year over year — a sign that operational improvements are...

Mowi Posts Record Revenues and Volumes in Q2 2026

Salmon farming giant Mowi delivered record-high revenues of EUR 1.6 billion ($1.9 billion) and operational EBIT in the second quarter of 2026, driven by strong biological and operational performance and record harvest volumes.

Operational EBIT reached EUR 231 million ($268 million), up 23% from Q2 2025, supported by lower costs across the business.

"Farming operations continue to deliver very strong biological and operational results. In particular, our Norwegian and Scottish operations are performing strongly, with record volumes and reduced costs, which is very encouraging," said Mowi CEO...

New Report Says Salmon Farming is a 'Key Anchor' for Rural and Coastal Communities in Scotland

A new report from global infrastructure consultant AECOM found that Scotland's salmon farming industry significantly supports the economic and social fabric of the country's rural, coastal, and island communities.

The 37-page report, "The Role of the Scottish Salmon Farming Sector in Scotland's Rural and Coastal Communities," found that salmon farming helps sustain school rolls, teaching posts, local shops and businesses — and directly employs more than a third of the population of one island. The study drew on interviews with community members and a...

Investor Group Launches Mandatory Takeover Offer for Atlantic Sapphire as Delisting Looms

A mandatory tender offer for Atlantic Sapphire ASA is now open, with an investor group operating through a vehicle called Coral HoldCo AS seeking to take the troubled land-based salmon farmer private as part of a broader restructuring.

The offer price is NOK 0.80 per share. The acceptance period runs from 9:00 a.m. CEST on July 31 through 4:30 p.m. CEST on August 28, 2026. DNB Carnegie, a part of DNB Bank ASA, is acting as receiving agent for the offer...

Proximar Seafood Secures NOK 100 Million Bond to Fund Ramp-Up at Mount Fuji RAS Facility

Norway-founded, Japan-based land-based salmon farmer Proximar Seafood has completed the placement of a NOK 100 million ($9.8 million) three-year unsecured convertible bond, with settlement expected around August 12, the company announced August 5. The raise comprises NOK 75 million in new subscriptions and NOK 25 million rolled over from existing bonds, with the instrument to be listed on Nordic ABM...

Hokkaido's Nemuro Anglers Asked to Stand Down as Fall Chum Forecast Drops 52% to Record Low

Hokkaido’s Nemuro region is calling on the general public to refrain from salmon fishing as part of the program to secure broodstock for the hatchery. 

According to Minato Shimbun, the Nemuro Area Salmon and Trout Propagation Association will once again implement voluntary restrictions at the start of the fishing season to secure enough fall chum salmon broodstock for hatchery release. In conjunction, the association is collaborating with local municipalities—such as Shibetsu Town—to urge anglers to voluntarily refrain from...

Chile Presses for Salmon Tariff Removal as Two-Day US Trade Talks End

High-level trade talks between Chile and the United States concluded in Santiago this week without a final agreement, as both sides described ongoing negotiations over the 12.5% Section 301 tariff that has burdened Chilean exports — including salmon — since late July.

Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Goettman led the US delegation for the two-day visit on August 24-25. Chile's government pressed for the removal of the 12.5% tariff across key export sectors, including salmon, wine, timber, and fruit...

Pink Salmon Surge in Sitka and Kodiak Lifts Alaska Season Totals

A late-season surge of pink salmon into Sitka and strong returns in Kodiak have brightened Alaska's salmon harvest picture heading into the final stretch of the season.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's (ASMI) weekly harvest summary through August 22 showed the cumulative salmon catch had exceeded year-to-date 2025 levels — and 2024 levels for pink salmon — though totals remained well behind both the forecast and the prior-year cumulative harvest as the season began to wind down. That picture improved further after the report was distributed...

Norway Sees Sharp Drop in Production Fish as Salmon Harvest Hits Record High

Norway’s Food Safety Authority reports a sharp drop in production fish, known locally as prodfisk, even as overall harvests hit record levels.

Considered lower-quality fish due to damage or imperfections often linked to farming or operational issues, production fish accounted for 10.6% of harvest volume in H1 2026, down from 17.7% in H1 2025 and 30% in H1 2024.

"We see a clear decline in the proportion of production fish, at the same time as the harvest volume is higher than...

Canada Targets US Lobster, Salmon, Pollock With 25% Counter-Tariffs

Canada will impose 25% counter-tariffs on American fish and seafood effective September 8, escalating a trade war that now threatens one of the world's most deeply integrated bilateral seafood supply chains.

The measures, announced August 25 by Prime Minister Mark Carney, cover roughly 700 US product lines at rates of 15%, 25% and 50% — a dollar-for-dollar response to US Section 338 tariffs of 50% that took effect August 19 on select Canadian imports after trade talks between the two countries collapsed. Fish and seafood fall...

China Southern Launches Direct Oslo-Shanghai Cargo Route for Norwegian Salmon

China Southern Airlines has launched a new direct cargo route between Oslo Airport and Shanghai, adding approximately 200 tonnes of weekly Norwegian salmon capacity to a trade lane that has become increasingly central to Norway's export strategy as US tariffs bite.

The route began operations on August 19, running twice weekly with Boeing 777F freighters carrying roughly 100 tonnes per flight. It is China Southern's first cargo route to Norway.

"China is one of the most important growth markets for Norwegian seafood, and we see significant potential for further...

Japan's Salmon Imports Soared 40% for Frozen Chilean Coho, Sockeye Plummeted 80% in June

According to Ministry of Finance trade statistics, June imports of salmon and trout (frozen and fresh) totaled 9,811 metric tons, down 7% year-on-year (YOY), while the value rose 4% to 16.611 billion yen ($104.5 million). Imports of the key product—frozen Chilean coho salmon—increased, according to a report by Minato Shimbun.

Imports of frozen Chilean coho salmon (dressed) rose 42% to 2,596 tons. Prices for the new season's catch hovered just under $7.00/kg during...

Scott & Jon’s Goes Chainwide at Food Lion With Four Single-Serve Seafood Meals

Frozen seafood brand Scott & Jon’s has expanded its partnership with Food Lion chainwide, making four of its single-serve meals available in more than 1,000 stores across the grocer’s footprint.

The move comes as Scott & Jon’s continues to outpace the broader frozen meal category. The company cited SPINS data showing its dollar sales grew 15% in Total US MULO for the 52 weeks ending July 12, 2026, while single-serve frozen meal sales fell 1% over the same period...

Multi X and BioMar Launch Chile's First Regenerative Agriculture Pilot for Salmon Feed Supply Chain

Chilean salmon producer Multi X and aquaculture feed company BioMar have signed a collaboration agreement to launch Chile's first regenerative agriculture pilot linked to the salmon value chain. The 24-month project, which began in August 2026, will assess regenerative farming practices in wheat and pea crops — two locally sourced raw materials with potential applications in salmon feed — across farms in the Los Ríos and Los Lagos regions...

UW-FRI Early Advisory Projects 44.2 Million Sockeye for 2027 Bristol Bay Run

The University of Washington Fisheries Research Institute's early advisory for the 2027 Bristol Bay sockeye run projects 44.2 million fish — a 2.7 million increase over the 2026 forecast. The actual 2026 run came in slightly above that projection.

The projected 2027 inshore harvest is 28.6 million sockeye salmon, or 158 million pounds, calculated using the average size of each age class expected at this run level.

"As this preliminary forecast is made prior to the release of finalized data for the 2026 run, this should be considered...

Gigante Salmon Cuts Production Outlook Amid Fish Health Challenges

Norwegian land-based salmon farmer Gigante Salmon is lowering its production expectations for two generations after fish behavior and fish health issues disrupted operations at its facility.

The company now expects 5,800 tonnes HOG from both its H2025 and H2026 generations, with a range of 5,000 to 6,200 tonnes. For H2025, Gigante estimates production costs of NOK 86/kg HOG at the 5,800-tonne base case, while H2026 is estimated at NOK 76/kg.

The revisions follow problems associated with newly installed fish barriers intended to...

Baltic PE Giant INVL Bets on Fish Processing with Dual Lithuanian Acquisition

INVL Private Equity Fund II, one of the leading private equity funds in Central and Eastern Europe, has signed agreements to acquire two Lithuanian fish processors — Nordian Group and Norvelita — in a deal that will create one of the largest fish processing groups in the region, with combined annual revenues of approximately EUR 200 million ($232 million).

The acquisition, announced August 17, is subject to approval from the Lithuanian Competition Council and is expected to close in the coming months. Financial terms were not disclosed...

Salmon Harvest Levels Inch Up in Early August But Missed Forecasts Are the Concern

Bristol Bay sockeye landings have reached 29.75 million salmon, still shy of the pre-season forecast of 32.2 million.

Statewide chum salmon (keta) landings are down 61% from 2025, at 7.35 million fish.

Statewide pink salmon harvests stand at 10.65 million — comprised of 4.5 million from Southeast Alaska, where the pre-season forecast called for 19 million; just 500,000 from Southcentral (Prince William Sound's modest prediction remains significantly above current landings); and over 5.5 million from the Western Region, mostly from...

Chile Pushes Back on US Tariffs as Salmon Industry Maps Path to Relief

Chile is mounting a coordinated diplomatic and legal response to the 12.5% Section 301 tariff the Trump administration imposed on Chilean goods on July 24 — a rate that places Chile among the highest-penalized economies in the new forced-labor framework and hits salmon, wine, timber, and fruit exports simultaneously.

The justification has drawn sharp pushback from Santiago. Chilean government ministers publicly questioned the forced-labor basis for the tariff, calling it unjust and damaging to bilateral trust, according to local media reports...