Norwegian salmon labeled as high quality arrives at European factories with wounds and injuries. A recent investigation reveals nearly all crates contain damaged fish when opened at processing plants.
Factory workers report they frequently receive premium Norwegian salmon with visible injuries. They cannot forward this fish to their customers due to quality concerns.
Norwegian law prohibits exporting salmon with wounds and injuries. This protects the product's quality and international reputation.
The factory involved requested anonymity. Officials fear no one would sell them fish if their identity became public. Photographic evidence shows multiple salmon with deformities.
Norwegian seafood industry associations acknowledge the violations. Geir Ove Ystmark of Seafood Norway said revealing such breaches benefits the industry. He stated that selling substandard products as premium damages Norway's salmon reputation.
Ystmark emphasized that regulations require correcting defects before export. This process might involve skinning fish, creating fillets, or making fish burgers. He noted most industry players follow rules seriously, though some operators show less commitment.
This situation highlights a clear gap between Norway's premium seafood branding and the physical condition of exported products. International buyers paying for quality salmon deserve products matching that promise.