Norwegian seafood faces challenging times in the US market. While competitors in the EU, Canada, and other major fishing nations enjoy better tariff deals, Norway faces the highest rates.
Industry leaders say the agreement with the US is the worst among all key seafood-exporting countries. “Norway is at the bottom,” says Audun Maråk, CEO of Fiskebåt.
Promises Do Not Match Reality
Officials in Oslo claim Norway secured tariffs equal to those of the EU. In reality, the rates are higher. Even Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg speak in line with this claim. Industry experts say it is simply wrong.
Norwegian Seafood Council, another industry group, also tells members that Norway has the same tariffs as the EU and better ones than Canada. That turns out to be false. Canada actually gets better rates than Norway.
Trade Struggles Go Beyond the US
The problem is not limited to America. In Japan, both the EU and the UK recently secured better terms for mackerel exports. Norway again loses out, even in one of its most important markets.
Norway’s fishing sector insists on fair competition. Without equal trade terms, the industry warns of severe losses.
The government’s efforts are recognised as challenging—after all, Norway is negotiating alone with global powers—but the industry says bad deals cannot be accepted, and poor communication makes the situation worse.