2025 marks 200 years since Norwegian seafood arrived in the U.S.

This year, 2025, marks 200 years since Norwegian seafood first arrived in the U.S. aboard a sloop called 'Restauration', which set sail from Stavanger on July 4, 1825, and arrived in New York on November 9 of that same year.

Today, the United States is one of Norway's most important trading partners and the last time we learned data from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), in August 2025, it was also the second-largest market for Norwegian seafood exports in terms of value.

In the last two years alone, Norway's export value to the U.S. has been around NOK 60 billion. One-fifth of that is seafood, with Norwegian salmon being particularly popular among Americans: nearly 80% of the seafood exported to the country is salmon. According to NSC's surveys, only salmon from the nearby regions—Alaska and Canada—have higher preference and awareness.

But it's not just salmon, as WeAreAquaculture said a couple of weeks ago, there are plenty of fish in the sea of Norwegian seafood exports, and despite tariffs, other products, especially shellfish, are gaining popularity in the US market. For example, in August 2025, more than 63% of the total volume of Norwegian snow crab exports went to the U.S., which was also the main destination market for king crab, with a 16% increase in export value.

To ensure that this market share continues to grow, the Norwegian Seafood Council in the United States is working to facilitate meeting places for Norwegian and American industries. Therefore, in connection with the anniversary, it is gathering all seafood stakeholders for a dedicated networking event in New York.

A big celebration at the harbour in New York

A new version of 'Restauration' has been built, marking the emigration anniversary, and exactly 200 years after the first voyage, on July 4, 2025, the newly built ship set sail from Stavanger, on the Norwegian coast. Since then, it has followed the original route of the sloop, and its arrival in New York is also expected on the same date as 200 years ago—October 9.

"When the ship arrives, there will be a big celebration at the harbour in New York," said the Norwegian Seafood Council's envoy in the U.S., Karine Rød Haraldsson. On that day, Pier 16 will be transformed into a little piece of Norway where visitors can get to know Norwegian design, art, literature, tradition, and food. Among other dignitaries, the event will be attended by Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth and Crown Prince Haakon.

"We will have our own stand and hand out tastings of Norwegian seafood dishes prepared by chefs from the National Culinary Team, the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, and the Norwegian Consulate in New York," Haraldsson added. The celebration is a Team Norway project involving the Consulate General in New York, Innovation Norway, and, as mentioned, the NSC.

However, as Karine Rød Haraldsson explained, this will not be the only event. "In connection with the jubilee, we are gathering all seafood stakeholders for a dedicated networking event. Many will also participate in the USA–Norway Business Summit organized by Innovation Norway. The following week, the Seafood Council will host a shellfish seminar in New York," she said.

U.S. tariffs are affecting Norwegian seafood exports

As mentioned, what started with stockfish, salted cod, and a sailing ship called 'Restauration' has grown into one of Norway's largest seafood markets. In 2024, the Nordic country exported nearly 112,000 tons of seafood to the U.S. with a total value of NOK 13.2 billion, most of which was salmon, although species such as trout, cod, snow crab, and king crab are also important products that Americans eagerly demand.

Norwegian seafood exports to the U.S. have grown sharply over the past 10 years, with more than a doubling in exported salmon volume and a fivefold increase in value. In 2024, Norway exported salmon worth NOK 10 billion, corresponding to a volume of 66,250 tons. This made the U.S. Norway's largest salmon market measured by value.

However, in recent months, the strong growth of seafood exports to the U.S. has stagnated. According to the NSC envoy to the North American country, there are several reasons for this: "Reduced availability of salmon in the right size, a weakened U.S. dollar, and strong demand growth in China have affected supply flows in recent months. In addition, Trump's introduction of the new tariff plays a role."

Exactly 200 years after the departure of the ‘Restauration’, in July 2025, the value of Norwegian seafood exports to the U.S. amounted to NOK 1.1 billion. It is true that in July, after leading the ranking of the largest importers of Norwegian seafood products in the first months of the year, the U.S. ranked third, behind Poland and China, but despite this, it continued to show an upward trend, with a 17% increase year-on-year.

However, just one month later, following the entry into force of the 15% U.S. tariffs on August 7, 2025, that upward trend changed. In August 2025, total seafood exports fell 3% compared to the same month last year, but reached a 15% drop in the case of salmon exports. Despite everything, the U.S. was still the second-largest market for Norwegian seafood exports in value terms, with NOK 1.1 billion, but it was 3% down compared to August 2024.

As the Norwegian Seafood Council explained now, one effect of this is the increased competition from countries with lower or no tariffs, such as Canada, with 0%, or Scotland and the Faroe Islands, with 10%. "That makes it especially important that we are present, participate in events, and continue to work to maintain sales, awareness, and preference for fish and shellfish from Norwegian waters," concluded the NSC envoy to the U.S., Karine Rød Haraldsson.