Aquaculture is such a dynamic – and fun – field to work (and to love). There are many challenges, but glorious careers are to be had for international citizens in both aquaculture’s highly developed nations in Asia and in its many developing regions of the world (everywhere else! except Norway, Chile, Egypt, and a few more (Ecuador (shrimp), Turkey (seabream, trout), and Brazil (tilapia)).
China, the historical and modern home of aquaculture practices and production, is a special case of which many have written volumes. But what about Norway, arguably the world’s most advanced aquaculture nation outside of China?
I share some of my observations with you here. I have been privileged to have a lifelong relationship with Norway and Norwegians. Personally, one of my best friends lives outside of Oslo now. We first met ~40 years ago in Vermont, USA while studying social ecology, aquaculture, agriculture, and progressive politics. Since those years of youthful exuberance both of us have lived and worked worldwide in international R&D and development assistance in Asia, Africa, and Europe. I joined Nord University in Bodø ~6 years ago as an external lecturer in their international marine bioresources programme. During this time, I increased my connection to a colleague/friend who became the leader of a new marine unit in a government research organization. My perspectives are developed (and colored) by listening with big ears when in Norway and asking far too many probing questions to my sometimes-stone-faced Norwegian friends, dissecting government and industry reports, traveling with Norwegians and their friends in Norway and throughout Scandinavia and Europe, and paying close attention to Norwegian aquaculture investments, value chain developments, and Norwegian development assistance worldwide.
It seems like every month, every year, no matter what kind of challenges (sea lice, climate change, wars, Trump tariffs, etc. etc.), Norway shines. In July 2025 seafoodsource.com Chris Chase reported that “China became fastest-growing market for Norwegian seafood in July”. Chase stated that “Norway exported seafood worth EUR 1.17 billion in the month of July…That number puts Norway at EUR 8.3 billion in export value so far in 2025…''.
How has Norway done it?
I think it is learning and pragmatism, and the nation's investments in value chains and globalization. Norway invests a lot in government, industry and university support of aquaculture. The list is long and envious (the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, NOFIMA, NIBIO, Arctic University of Norway, University of Bergen, University of Trondheim, NTNU, Nord, etc. etc).
The country is pragmatic in its approaches, open in its criticism of its aquaculture, and guided to a large extent by the science and what the monitoring data show, reporting over the past years record deaths from sea lice, disease and climate extremes. The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries states that “It’s main objective is to promote profitable economic activity through sustainable and user-oriented management of marine resources and the marine environment…”
Norway is a small nation of ~5.5 million people living among its picturesque fjords and peninsulas. Travelling by road takes forever so air travel is very well developed. Everywhere in Norway is ~1 hour flight from anywhere else. Transport by truck makes little economic sense. While Sweden banned Norwegian style salmon cages, trucks loaded with farmed salmon go over the border into Sweden because Sweden’s roads are more direct and fluid to processing centers in Sweden and to lower cost processing factories on the continent – dominated by Poland – which purchased ~EUR 143 million of Norwegian salmon in July 2025. Europe is the main market for Norwegian salmon fillets and most of the salmon sent to Poland is processed for export there.
Norway is a brilliant seafood processing, marketing, and branding country. Norwegian marketing offices, promotions and savvy economic incentives in China have led to record salmon exports there. Norway export value to China was reported to have increased ~90% in July 2025, making China the second-most valuable destination for Norwegian seafood after Europe.
Norway has seen issues with a total reliance on salmon and invested in trout and its growing markets. In July 2025 trout was Norway’s second-most valuable seafood export. As an example of the precision of Norway’s new trout marketing investments, Lithuania was one of the largest markets for Norwegian trout; a 45% increase in Norwegian export value was reported there. And the US? There has been an increase in Norwegian salmon to the US market despite the Trump tariffs and Amercian accusations of Norwegian “dumping”. I expect Norway will find way around the bluster.
