"We can almost say there is too much cod," Webjorn Barstad of Norwegian fishing company Strand told IntraFish.
"Fishermen have been reporting for some years that the stock is more healthy than the scientists were saying and Fiskebat has been arguing for some time that we should be taking more cod," Barstad said.
"It’s not ideal when the stock of cod, which is the largest predator, rises to levels that can be seen as too high. It’s also not a full utilization of the resources at our disposal," he said, adding that the cod stock consumes an estimated amount of fish roughly three times the amount caught by Norwegian fishermen.
While the stock is healthy, the composition of it is not clear and it could be that there is an unhealthy mix of mature to juvenile cod, and the situation is further complicated as cod will feed on smaller cod when other food sources are no longer abundant.
"They have a very diverse diet -- capelin, herring, redfish, haddock, shrimp -- as well as smaller cod," Barstad said.
"So there are serious implications for the management of other stocks. Industry is critical of anagement now, especially with the decline in haddock and we have seen evidence of this with pictures of fishermen opening large cod to find four or five decent-sized haddock falling out.
Strand is in the process of saying goodbye to its filleting operations with the new Havbryn delivered in April and the Havstrand due to follow in a few weeks. These are H&G vessels, unlike the filleter trawlers they replace – and the reason is costs.
"Prices are terrible and filleting is expensive," Barstad said, adding that the medium and large cod their vessels land is sold mostly for saltfish and dried fish production in Norway, while smaller fish are exported and find their way to processors in Europe or China -- and the largest proportion of their catches is medium and large fish, plus there is a very large amount of these big fish coming from Russia.
Cod prices halved
"The cod price is less than half of what it was 12-16 months ago. Prices fell sharply in the second half of last year and continued to decline into the first quarter of this year," Barstad said.
"Prices are so low that if we didn’t have the volume, fishing wouldn’t be cost effective and many operators would simply stop.
"At this level it is unsustainable, and I don’t understand why, as fish is not that much cheaper to the consumer, if at all. We have not had lower prices than these for 30-35 years. We are back at 1970s levels," he said, adding that no other prices are that low and for an operator in Norway this is especially difficult as they are using services in a working environment alongside the oil industry, and often paying oil industry prices.
"At this level it is not sustainable," he said, and that Strand’s groundfish operations this year will hardly show a profit and they will be satisfied to break even.
"We hope the situation will stabilize in the second half of this year – it needs to."
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Alongside the development of high-tech shrimp farming, Ha Tinh Province is accelerating the cultivation of high-value freshwater aquatic species, with red tilapia emerging as an effective and sustainable farming model.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports reached USD 81 million in April 2026, down 6% compared to the same period in 2025. In the first four months of the year, export turnover totaled USD 289 million, down 4.8%. Although the overall export picture has yet to brighten significantly, market trends are becoming increasingly diversified rather than moving in a single direction.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is undergoing strong restructuring starting from the broodstock and fingerling segment in order to improve productivity, quality, and export competitiveness. This is considered a critical foundation for the sustainable development of the industry amid rising production costs and increasingly stringent market requirements.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs data, pangasius exports in April 2026 reached USD 206 million, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025 — marking another consecutive month of double-digit growth since the beginning of the year. Cumulative pangasius export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 720 million, up 17% year-on-year, reflecting the positive growth momentum of this key export product.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports in the first four months of 2026 maintained positive growth momentum, reaching approximately USD 1.5 billion, up 15% compared to the same period last year. However, behind this result lies diverging trends across markets, as the global shrimp industry continues to face pressure from inflation, high inventories, price competition, and increasing trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Vinh Tuy commune (Kien Giang Province), many shrimp farmers are adopting bottom aeration systems and reporting clear economic benefits, helping increase income and reduce production risks.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached more than USD 93 million, up 23% compared to the same period last year. The result shows that the sector is experiencing a fairly positive recovery, especially in its two key product groups: crabs and swimming crabs. However, behind the growth figures are several concerns: export markets remain highly concentrated, raw material supply is unstable, and trade barriers from the US and EU are becoming increasingly stringent.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Ca Mau province, many farmers are transitioning from traditional methods to high-tech shrimp farming, adopting recirculating systems with minimal water exchange to improve efficiency and reduce risks. In Hung My commune alone, there are about 260 super-intensive shrimp farming households covering more than 265 hectares, playing a key role in local economic development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cake and surimi reached USD 63 million, down 5% compared to the same period last year. Although total export value declined slightly due to decreases in some key markets, many other destinations continued to post strong growth, opening up room for this convenience-oriented processed segment in the coming quarters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Favorable weather conditions in the early months of 2026 have brought encouraging signs for fisheries activities in Quang Tri. Output has grown steadily, contributing to improved livelihoods for local residents.
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