Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Næss pictured with Seafood Council Director Christer Chramer and seafood envoy Tore Holvik in Barcelona.
Photo: Emil Bremnes, NFD / Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans
Norway's Minister of Fisheries and the Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Næss visited the world’s largest seafood trade event, Seafood Expo Global, in Barcelona this week.
The event, which has attracted more than 35,000 participants this year, includes participation from over 120 Norwegian seafood sector firms ranging from seafood producers and exporters to technology providers and equipment suppliers.
The Minister's visit focused on global trade challenges and strengthening international cooperation to support Norwegian seafood exports, which have reached NOK 58.5 billion so far in 2025 - a new record for the period.
On the eve of the trade show, Sivertsen Næss held a closed-door meeting on trade issues with Norwegian seafood industry stakeholders. “I invited the industry to a dialogue to hear how the trade unrest is affecting them, and what we can do together to strengthen exports. I greatly appreciate the feedback I received. This is an industry that both delivers strong results and shows an impressive ability to adapt to new challenges,” she stated in a press release.
The seafood sector is currently facing heightened trade tensions, particularly with the United States, the Minister pointed out. From 5 April, Norwegian seafood products have been subject to an additional 10% tariff imposed by the Trump administration, part of a broader policy affecting nearly all global exporters. However, the U.S. remains the largest single market for Norwegian seafood in 2025, measured by export value.
“The trade policy situation understandably creates a lot of uncertainty for the industry. The government's goal is to reduce tariffs against Norway. We have extensive contact with the US, the EU and other trading partners, and are working to ensure good market access for Norwegian exporters,” said Sivertsen Næss.
During her visit, the Minister met with representatives from the Norwegian seafood industry, including Norwegian Seafood Council Director Christian Chramer and seafood envoy Tore Holvik. She also held discussions with ministerial counterparts from Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Scotland.
“The Seafood Fair is an important meeting place, first and foremost for the industry, but also for us politicians. This is Norway's second largest export industry. With the trade war and unrest in world trade, meeting points like this are important,” Sivertsen Næss noted ahead of the fair.
The Minister’s programme in Barcelona also included visiting a local supermarket and giving a keynote speech at a seafood seminar hosted by Team Norway Spain (made up of the Norwegian Embassy, Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Seafood Council).
