Norway marine industry reports mixed trends in waste recycling and fish landings

The Norwegian fishing and aquaculture industries are seeing significant shifts in waste management and resource landings. Nofir reported a record in 2025, collecting over 10,000 tons of discarded gear, a 21 percent increase from the previous year. Much of this material is being recycled into products for brands such as BMW and Gucci.

However, proposed 2027 state budget cuts threaten marine litter cleanup efforts. The budget suggests reducing subsidies for cleaning up coastal waste from 29.4 million to 5.9 million NOK, an 80 percent reduction.

In a separate trend, fish landings in the Karmøy region have dropped by 36.1 percent compared to the previous year, with a total of 146,660 tons delivered from January to October. While Karmøy, Bømlo, and Sveio saw declines, municipalities like Haugesund and Etne reported increases in marine resource deliveries.