Norway urges citizens to eat more seafood as domestic consumption declines

Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, has called on the Norwegian public to increase their consumption of fish and seafood, warning that domestic demand has been falling despite the country’s status as Europe’s largest seafood producer.

Marking the national Fish Day on 6 March, Sivertsen Næss urged households across the country to put seafood back on the menu.

“We need to eat more fish. That is why I would like to challenge all children, parents and grandparents to eat at least one fish dish next week,” she said.

According to the ministry, seafood consumption in Norway has declined by around 18% since 2014, a trend the minister described as worrying.

“It is a paradox that we export large quantities of seafood, while at the same time we eat less of it ourselves,” she said. “I understand that price is important when choosing what to have for dinner, but it is important to remember that there are many seafood products that are both cheaper and of good quality. Seafood is both healthy, tasty and sustainable. Now we must turn the tide.”

Sivertsen Næss marked the occasion in her hometown of Hammerfest, where she joined pupils at the Birds School to prepare simple seafood dishes as part of the Fiskesprell programme.

The initiative provides training for staff in kindergartens and schools and offers financial support for purchasing ingredients so that children can cook and taste seafood.

“We adults must cook fish and seafood at home and bring our children into the kitchen. Good eating habits are formed in childhood. Experience shows that children actually like seafood – especially when they get to help cook it themselves,” the minister said.

The Norwegian government has allocated NOK 3.5 million (€300,000) in the 2026 state budget to support the programme, which aims to increase access to seafood for children and young people in educational settings across the country.

Norwegian health authorities recommend eating fish or seafood two to three times per week, but many consumers report that they struggle to meet this target, often citing price as a barrier.

However, Sivertsen Næss said seafood meals do not have to be expensive or complicated.

“Every fish dinner doesn’t have to be so difficult. Even what we made at the Birds’ School today was easy to make – and tasted fantastic,” she said.

As part of the campaign, the minister encouraged the public to try a new type of fish or seafood, involve children in cooking, and commit to preparing at least one seafood meal during the coming week.