New fishing regulations in Norway 2026 – guide

Last updated: 3 August 2026

One national change on 1 January 2026 was the export quota: it was cut from 18 kg to 15 kg per person, still usable up to two times per calendar year, and it falls again to 10 kg from 1 January 2027. The requirement to both fish and stay through a registered tourist fishing business to use this sea-fish export allowance has applied since 1 January 2021, and the minimum age of 12 and the mandatory export-document details since 1 August 2025. Catch reporting is still mandatory for registered businesses, but that duty is not a new 2026 rule. Three no-fishing areas also began in Oslofjord that day: the inner fjord, Færder and Hvaler. Check the exact boundaries on the authority’s map.

Current Rules

Effective from 2026-01-01

Here are the rules for foreign tourist anglers in Norway as of 1 January 2026: 1. Registered tourist fishing business (required since 1 January 2021): To use this sea-fish export quota, the traveller must both fish and stay through a business registered with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries. 2. Export quota: 15 kg of fish or fish products per person (aged 12+), usable up to two times per calendar year. This is the change that took effect on 1 January 2026 — the quota was 18 kg until then. The minimum age of 12 has applied since 1 August 2025. 3. Excluded species: The export regulation does not apply to salmon, trout, char or freshwater fish; separate catching rules apply. 4. Trophy fish: A trophy fish may not be carried in addition to the export quota. 5. Catch reporting: Registered tourist fishing businesses must report catch data to the Directorate of Fisheries on an ongoing basis. 6. Current minimum sizes: Cod 44/55 cm north of 62°N (depending on distance from the baselines), 40 cm south. Halibut fishing is prohibited south of 62°N all year and north of 62°N from 20 December through 20 April. In lawful fishing the minimum is 84 cm; halibut over 200 cm must always be released, even if dead or dying. Haddock is 40 cm north / 32 cm south. Viable undersized fish must be released; dead or non-viable incidental catch may be kept for personal consumption. 7. Documentation: At departure you need individual documentation from the registered business with identity, business details, stay/fishing period, issue date and the responsible person's signature/contact details.

Who does this apply to?

Foreign tourist anglers fishing in Norway from 1 January 2026, and fishing camps registered as tourist fishing businesses.

How to comply

1
Choose a registered tourist fishing business
To use the sea-fish export quota in 2026, you must both fish and stay through a business registered with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries. A SafeCamp360 listing does not confirm registration; verify it before booking.
2
Stay within minimum sizes and protected periods
Viable fish below the minimum size must be released carefully; dead or clearly non-viable incidental catch may be kept for personal consumption. Skrei (spawning cod) has separate rules in specific areas. Check current minimum sizes and protected periods for the species and region.
3
Get your catch registered and documented
Registered tourist fishing businesses must report catches to the Directorate of Fisheries on an ongoing basis. Follow the business's procedure after each fishing trip and obtain export documentation with the required details before departure.
4
Stay within the export quota at departure
Max 15 kg of fish or fish products per person, up to two times per calendar year. Weigh and pack the fish accurately. Have the individual documentation from the registered business ready for customs inspection.

Consequences of non-compliance

For unlawful export, all catch covered by the tourist quota may be seized, not just the excess kilograms. Legally exempt goods are excluded from this confiscation.

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.

Failure to report catches can lead to an administrative violation penalty or deletion from the register.

Deliberately targeting fish below the minimum size may be punishable; the official guidance does not state a separate Lofoten or skrei-season penalty.

Upcoming changes

From 2027-01-01

From 1 January 2027, the export quota is reduced from 15 kg to 10 kg per person.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main changes in the 2026 fishing regulations?

The export quota fell from 18 to 15 kg per person on 1 January 2026, still usable twice per calendar year. From 2027 it becomes 10 kg. Three no-fishing areas also began that day in Oslofjord: the inner fjord, Færder and Hvaler. The registered-business requirement, minimum age and individual export documentation are older; catch reporting was already mandatory too. Check current maps and species rules before the trip.

Do I still need a fishing licence for sea fishing in 2026?

Ordinary sea fishing with rod and handline is free. In rivers and lakes you normally need the landowner's permit, and anglers aged 18+ must pay the national fee for salmon, sea trout and sea-running char in watercourses. Inland-fish angling is generally exempt, but from age 18 you must pay the fee in salmon-bearing waters while salmon, sea-trout or sea-char fishing is open. Local protected zones also apply along the coast.

What counts as a registered tourist fishing business?

A business in the Directorate of Fisheries’ register of tourist fishing businesses. Under section 1, registration is mandatory when the business is VAT-registered, earns at least NOK 50,000 annually from sea-fishing tourism and has vessels for rental or fishing trips. Businesses outside that duty may also apply voluntarily when the statutory conditions are met. Under section 2, committing to catch reporting and informing tourists is a condition of registration.

How do I know my fishing camp is registered?

Ask the camp directly for its registration number and check the Directorate of Fisheries register. A SafeCamp360 listing is not evidence of registration.

What happens to the quota in 2027?

From 1 January 2027, the export quota drops to 10 kg per person, still usable up to two times per calendar year when the traveller both fishes and stays through a registered business. 2026 is the last year with the 15 kg limit.

Do I need a boat licence to drive a boat in Norway?

For Norwegian leisure boats under 15 m, a boat certificate is required if you were born on or after 1 January 1980 and the boat exceeds 8 m or has an engine over 25 hp. EEA certificates are accepted within their scope. An ICC must cover coastal navigation and the relevant boat category; an inland-only ICC is insufficient. Other foreign certificates must meet equivalent requirements and be in a Scandinavian language or English. A boat capable of 50 knots or more also requires a high-speed certificate, regardless of birth year. Under-16s have separate boat-length and engine limits. Check the Maritime Authority for your boat and certificate.

Source

Official NMA consolidated English regulation: sections 1/7 Norwegian recreational craft; section 13 foreign recognition; section 15a ICC coastal-navigation requirement and section 16 boat category. Publisher PDF lists amendments through 27 March 2023. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Current fee guidance: 18+ anadromous fishing; inland-fish exception requires payment in salmon-bearing waters while the anadromous season is open; rod/handline at sea exempt. (accessed 2026-10-04)

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)

Current §§1–4 distinguish mandatory scope, voluntary registration and reporting/information conditions; daily reporting since 1 August 2025. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Current mandatory registration criteria and qualified voluntary registration. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Boat certificate scope, foreign certificate recognition and separate high-speed requirement. (accessed 2026-10-04)

Current Oslofjord regulation; section 7 no-fishing areas from 1 January 2026; exact mapped boundaries. (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)

FOR-2025-07-02-1401, the amendment in force 1 January 2026: it changes only the kg figures in § 2 first paragraph — 15 kg twice during 2026, 10 kg twice per calendar year from 2027. (accessed 2026-09-04)

FOR-2020-07-09-1540, in force 1 January 2021: the amendment that introduced the registered tourist-fishing-business condition, at the then-current 18 kg quota. (accessed 2026-09-04)

Forskrift om turistfiskevirksomheter § 1 — the three statutory conditions that make registration mandatory (VAT register, NOK 50,000 gross per calendar year, at least one vessel). (accessed 2026-09-04)