Norway reached the highest seafood export value in its history in 2024, defying mid-year predictions of a downturn following a turbulent start.
According to data from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), the country’s seafood export value reached NOK 175.4 billion (equivalent to USD 15.5 billion or EUR 14.9 billion) in 2024 — an increase of NOK 3.7 billion (USD 327 million / EUR 315 million) compared with 2023. In terms of volume, Norway exported 2.8 million tons of seafood, enough to serve around 38 million seafood meals every day throughout the year.
In December 2024 alone, seafood export revenue hit NOK 15.1 billion (USD 1.33 billion / EUR 1.28 billion), up NOK 1.5 billion (USD 132 million / EUR 127 million), marking an 11% year-on-year increase.
A Remarkable Year for Norwegian Seafood
The year 2024 turned out to be an exceptional success for Norway’s seafood industry, despite negative forecasts earlier in the year. The sector experienced a decline in export value in Q1 2024, ending a three-year streak of record highs. In June 2024, Norway recorded an 18% drop in seafood export value — the largest monthly decline in its history.
Facing these challenges, NSC CEO Christian Chramer had predicted potential difficulties in the second half of 2024.
“We do not foresee a collapse, as Norwegian seafood remains robust. However, we cannot deny that there are dark clouds on the horizon,”
Chramer noted.
Fortunately, the downturn was short-lived. From July 2024 onward, Norway’s seafood export value began to recover and continued to grow steadily. By November 2024, the country had already set a new record, and December’s strong performance sealed 2024 as the best year ever for Norwegian seafood exports.