According to SeafoodNews, Chinese authorities have approved the import of live snow crabs from Norway.

In November the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, met with Yu Jianhua, the head of China's General Administration of Customs, in Beijing.

Marianne Sivertsen Næss said that the rapid opening up of China to import live snow crabs from Norway following talks with the Chinese side demonstrates the importance of the visit in promoting Norwegian interests.

He points out that there is growing interest in live snow crabs in the Asian market, and that access to the Chinese market means great potential for Norwegian exporters. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) has received NOK 5 million in the national budget for 2024 to expand market access for seafood products, and has received an additional NOK 3 million to strengthen this work, for a cumulative total of NOK 8 million.

Ten percent of the total Norwegian snow crab quota has been set aside for live crab deliveries. 2024 has seen an increase in market share for Norwegian snow crab in the US. So far this year, 7.8 million pounds of Norwegian snow crab have been supplied to the U.S. This volume already exceeds the total for the whole of 2023 and is 140.8 percent higher than the 2022 total.

Norway and China will have the opportunity to strengthen their relationship, with conversations underway about exporting more live seafood, and the Norwegian government working on a plan to pave the way for Norwegian green crabs, sea urchins, oysters, and other live products to be exported to China.