Norwegian fishing vessels sharply increased deliveries to Hirtshals Fish Auction in 2025, driven by strong North Sea catches and better prices in Denmark than in Norway.
Danish fish auctions recorded an apparent surge in Norwegian landings last year, with pelagic species leading in volume, and solid growth was also recorded for whitefish, flatfish, and crustaceans.
The trend confirms Denmark’s growing role as a key sales hub for Norwegian catch, especially for consumption fish. According to Nordsøposten, Danish buyers often pay more than domestic Norwegian buyers, making cross-border sales attractive to vessel owners.
Pelagic species dominate volumes
Pelagic fish made up the largest share of Norwegian deliveries to Denmark. Higher settlement prices and better sales terms helped boost volumes.
At the same time, deliveries of whitefish, flatfish and Norway lobster also rose, underlining a broad-based increase rather than a single-species spike.
Hirtshals Fish Auction is one of several Danish auctions benefiting from the shift, alongside Hanstholm and Thyborøn. The auctions handle fish and shellfish from Norwegian trawlers operating mainly in the North Sea.
Growth in key whitefish species
Statistics for recent years show strong growth in some whitefish species. Haddock is a clear example. Volumes rose from 227 tonnes in both 2022 and 2023 to 879 tonnes in 2024, before reaching 999 tonnes in 2025.
Fresh saithe, traditionally the most delivered species, showed a more uneven pattern. After a sharp decline from 25,423 tonnes in 2024 to 2,058 tonnes in 2025, volumes remained well above 2022 levels, when only 730 tonnes were delivered. The decline is partly attributable to lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Logistics favour Danish auctions
Much of the Norwegian fish sold in Denmark is not landed directly at Danish ports. Instead, catches are landed in Norway and then trucked to Danish auctions. This is often cheaper than sailing to Denmark and allows vessels to spend more time fishing.
Many vessels now box fish during fishing to secure freshness on arrival. Overall, the development indicates that Danish auctions remain highly attractive to Norwegian fishers due to price and logistics.