Fish export quota for tourist fishing in Norway

Last updated: 3 August 2026

From 1 January 2026, tourist anglers aged 12+ who both fish and stay through a registered tourist fishing business may export up to 15 kg of sea fish or fish products covered by the export regulation, up to two times per calendar year. Sea catch covered by the regulation and caught outside a registered business cannot be exported. This regulation does not apply to salmon, trout, char or freshwater fish; separate catching rules apply. A trophy fish may not be carried in addition to the quota.

Current Rules

Effective from 2026-01-01

Current rules for exporting fish caught during tourist fishing in Norway: 1. Registered tourist fishing business: Max 15 kg of fish/fish products per person (aged 12+). 2. Frequency: The quota may be used up to two times per calendar year. 3. Unregistered/independent fishing: Sea catch covered by the export regulation and caught outside a registered tourist fishing business cannot be exported. 4. Trophy fish: There is no separate trophy fish exemption — a trophy fish may not be carried in addition to the quota. 5. Documentation: You need individual documentation from the registered business stating the traveller's identity, business details, stay/fishing period, issue date and responsible person's signature/contact details. 6. Excluded species: The export regulation does not apply to salmon, trout, char or freshwater fish; separate catching rules apply.

Who does this apply to?

Travellers aged 12+ who both fish and stay through a registered tourist fishing business and export sea catch covered by the export regulation from Norway.

How to comply

1
Fish from a registered camp
Choose a fishing camp that is registered in the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries' register of tourist fishing businesses. You must both fish and stay through the business to use the export quota.
- Check the registration on the Directorate of Fisheries' website to confirm the camp is registered.
- Ask for individual export documentation containing every detail required by the Directorate of Fisheries.
2
Weigh and pack the fish correctly
Weigh your own tourist catch after gutting, filleting or processing. The combined weight covered by the tourist quota must not exceed 15 kg per person in 2026. Trophy fish give no extra allowance. Documented purchased fish may fall under separate exemptions; keep it separate and carry the required purchase records.
- Use a digital scale for accurate weighing before packing.
3
Have documentation ready at the border
When leaving Norway, customs authorities may inspect your fish luggage. Have the individual documentation from the registered business ready. The person named on it must be present when the fish leaves Norway.
- Keep fish separate from other luggage for easy inspection.
- Take a photo of the fish on the scale as additional documentation.

Consequences of non-compliance

For a violation, all fish or fish products covered by the tourist-fishing rules may be seized, not only the excess kilograms. Lawfully exempt goods are excluded from seizure.

The prosecutor’s rate letter linked by the Directorate of Fisheries sets a minimum fine of NOK 8,000 plus NOK 200 per kilogram of fish or fish products. Planned or organised smuggling can attract a higher fine; the authorities determine the penalty.

When using the sea-fish export quota, missing documentation from a registered business may lead to confiscation and denied export.

Upcoming changes

From 2027-01-01

From 1 January 2027, the export quota is reduced to 10 kg per person.

Frequently asked questions

Must I both fish and stay with the business, or is fishing through it enough?

To use this sea-fish export allowance, book both through the same registered business. That is the safe course, and it is how Fiskeridirektoratet's export page words the requirement: you must have "fished and stayed at" a registered tourist fishing business. The regulation itself and the directorate’s rules page are worded more narrowly — they require that the fishing took place "under the auspices of" (i regi av) a registered business — and the documentation sentence on the export page uses that same narrower wording. Because export is what gets checked, and because the document records a period of stay, do not plan a trip around the narrowest reading. If in doubt, ask the business or Fiskeridirektoratet before booking.

What is the current export quota in 2026?

In 2026, the quota is 15 kg per person (aged 12+), and it may be used up to two times per calendar year. Catch covered by this sea-fish quota must be documented from a registered tourist fishing business.

Can I bring a trophy fish in addition to the quota?

No. There is no separate trophy fish exemption in addition to the export quota.

Does the export quota apply to all types of seafood?

Norwegian Customs uses “fish and fish products” broadly, including shellfish, molluscs and echinoderms. Crab and shrimp are therefore not generally exempt. Its guidance excludes king crab, salmon, trout, char and freshwater fish; separate catching rules still apply. Documented fish bought from a registered business and fish obtained from the owner of a registered fishing vessel with a sales note are separate exemptions from the tourist quota. Foreign tourists may use only handheld gear.

What happens if I have more fish than the quota allows?

For a violation, customs may seize all fish or fish products covered by the tourist-fishing rules, not only the excess kilograms. Lawfully exempt goods are excluded. The minimum fine is NOK 8,000 plus NOK 200 per kilogram; planned or organised smuggling may attract a higher fine.

Source

Riksadvokaten letter 25 April 2019, page 2: minimum NOK 8,000 plus NOK 200/kg; planned/organised cases may be higher. Historical quotas on page 1 are superseded. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Customs seafood scope includes shellfish, molluscs and echinoderms, with listed exclusions and documented purchased-fish exceptions. Compare exemptions with the current export regulation. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Current export regulation: section 1 excludes salmon, trout, char and freshwater fish from the whole regulation; section 2: 15 kg up to twice in 2026, 10 kg up to twice yearly from 2027, age 12 and individual documentation. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Current export guidance: fish/stay through a registered business to use the sea-fish quota; individual documentation, excluded species and separate catching rules. (accessed 2026-10-04)