SalMar is now forecasting harvest volumes of 330,000 tonnes in 2026.
Photo: SalMar.
SalMar harvested 81,800 tonnes of salmon in the second quarter of 2026, up 27% from 64,500 tonnes in the same period last year.
The figure was also 36% higher than the group’s harvest of 60,300 tonnes in the first quarter of 2026, when SalMar raised its full-year volume guidance following what it described as unusually strong biological performance in Norway.
Farming Central Norway remained the group’s largest production region, contributing 38,900 tonnes during the quarter. This was up from 33,900 tonnes in Q2 2025, an increase of around 15%.
However, the strongest year-on-year growth came from its operations in Northern Norway, where harvest volumes rose by 58%, reaching 32,600 tonnes, compared with 20,600 tonnes a year earlier.
Icelandic Salmon harvested 5,500 tonnes, up from 4,000 tonnes in the corresponding quarter of 2025. SalMar Ocean was the only segment to record a decline, with volumes falling from 6,000 tonnes to 4,800 tonnes.
SalMar increased its 2026 harvest guidance for Norway by 12,000 tonnes in May and now expects to harvest 282,000 tonnes from its Norwegian operations during the year. Including its 50% share of Scottish Sea Farms, the company forecasts total group harvest volumes of 330,000 tonnes in 2026, representing expected growth of 10% compared with last year.
The trading update came as SalMar agreed to acquire a 70% stake in fellow Central Norway salmon farmer Måsøval for approximately NOK 3.4 billion.
“We believe this represents an exciting industrial opportunity that will strengthen SalMar's position in Central Norway, one of our most important core regions for aquaculture,” said Frode Arntsen, CEO of SalMar, announcing the acquisition on 9 July.
SalMar is due to publish its full Q2 report on 25 August, when it will also provide further information on the Måsøval transaction and its implications alongside the results.
