Fish counter with Norwegian salmon fillets in the U.S.
Photo: Trude Bessesen / Norwegian Seafood Council.
Norway's Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans announced that when the new US regulations against the bycatch of marine mammals come into force in 2026, Norwegian fishery products will be able to be exported to the United States as before.
"Although we expected the application to be approved, it is gratifying to have it confirmed that Norwegian products can continue to reach American consumers without this type of restriction," Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, commented after learning that Norway had received comparability findings for all fisheries in the US List of Foreign Fisheries (LOFF).
"The U.S. is an important market for Norwegian seafood. This is therefore good news for the seafood industry and for Norwegian exports," she had said immediately before.
The new requirements proposed by the United States are part of the American Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and set limits on how much bycatch (unintentional catch) of marine mammals – such as whales, dolphins, and seals – is acceptable in commercial fisheries and aquaculture. The regulations were adopted back in 2016, but the deadline for receiving the U.S. approval was set for December 31, 2025.
"Norwegian authorities previously submitted a comprehensive application, and we have provided relevant information on several occasions. The fact that the application has now been approved shows that Norway operates responsibly and sustainably," Minister Sivertsen Næss highlighted.
Granted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the approval is valid until December 31, 2029; however, the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries said it will continue to lead the work to ensure that the requirements are also met in the future.
As the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans pointed out, the United States is one of Norway's key export markets. Although it was overtaken by China in July, during the first half of 2025, the U.S. had led the ranking of the largest importers of Norwegian fishery products, being Norway's largest export market in the first five months of the year in terms of value.
As Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), commented in the July report on Norwegian seafood exports, even at this time when global trade is facing difficult times, largely due to U.S. tariffs, Americans continue to buy large quantities of Norwegian seafood, making the country a priority market for Norwegian exports.
In terms of volume, the United States was the second largest market for Norwegian salmon in July after Poland, and was second in terms of value for trout exports too. At the same time, it was also the main destination market for Norwegian king crab and snow crab exports in terms of value.
In fact, according to a new report commissioned by the NSC earlier this summer, despite trade challenges, early-season snow crab and strong demand for king crab present key opportunities for Norwegian shellfish in the US market. Therefore, the inclusion of all Norwegian fishery products may be key to this expansion.
