Record-high Norwegian salmon production helped keep export volumes strong in the first half of 2026, but higher supply, a stronger Norwegian krone and US tariffs combined to push fresh whole salmon prices to their lowest first-half level since 2021.
The figures came as the Norwegian Seafood Council reported first-half Norwegian seafood exports of NOK 84.5 billion (EUR 7.52 billion), down 1% from the same period last year.
“Norwegian salmon production has never been higher than in this first half of the year,” said chief executive Christian Chramer.
“The combination of high export volumes, tariffs to the US and a negative currency effect resulted in the lowest export price for fresh whole salmon in a first half of the year since 2021,” he added.
Salmon remained Norway’s largest seafood export, generating NOK 58 billion (EUR 5.16 billion) during the first six months of the year and accounting for 69% of total seafood export value, up from 68% a year earlier.
Chramer also said the war in the Middle East had disrupted logistics to Asia while increasing freight and fuel costs, adding to pressures across the seafood industry during the first half of the year.