As of July 21, Norway’s shrimp fishery has reported a harvest of 190 tonnes of prawns, including 120 tonnes of cooked prawns. The shrimp fleet has predominantly operated in Skagerrak, capturing 73% of the total catch, which aligns with historical trends; last year at the same time, Skagerrak accounted for 74% of the harvest. Early July saw a solid start, with a period quota of 894 tonnes set to last until October 31. The quota allowances mirror those of the previous year, maintaining a cap of 8 tonnes during this timeframe.

Declining Export Numbers

Despite a strong local catch, there has been a noticeable decrease in shrimp exports from Sweden. In the first three weeks of July, exports totaled only 26 tonnes, significantly down from 51 tonnes during the same period last year. This decline raises questions about the overall dynamics affecting demand and supply.

The seafood outlet Reinhartsen in Kristiansand has reported an uptick in shrimp sales, even as the tourist traffic in Southern Norway has dropped due to less favorable summer weather. Shrimp sales has picked up since mid-July. Recently, the shrimp boat “Sjøvik” delivered 1,330 kilograms of fresh shrimp, contributing to a stabilizing trend, as they continue to offer competitive prices of NOK 279 (USD 25) per kilo for today’s catch and NOK 199 (USD 18) for yesterday’s.

Fresh and Cooked Prawns: Variability in Supply

Fiskelaget on Gismerøya remains focused on local sales, with minimal shrimp distribution to wholesalers. Last week, “Rosenvoll” from Mandal delivered 1,270 kilos of cooked shrimp, and more catch is expected this week. Additionally, other vessels from Rogaland, including “Vestavind,” “Østavind,” and “Tangen,” landed approximately 3.2 tonnes of cooked shrimp. While some of this catch was retained for local sales, most was delivered to Fonn Egersund.

Competitive Landscape

The competition in the shrimp market remains robust, particularly in the context of local retail pricing. At Fiskernes Salgslag in Grimstad, prawn catches are commendably high, with boats “Astor” and “Vågan” bringing in over 1,100 kilos of cooked prawns. Currently, the store continues to retail prawns at NOK 229 (USD 21) per kilo, but competing chains are undercutting prices with offers as low as NOK 199 (USD 18) per kilo throughout the summer.