Netherlands: 2026 Dutch Seafood Industry Overview

The Netherlands is increasingly becoming one of Europe's leading international traders of seafood products. The United States was the Netherlands' 15th largest foreign supplier of seafood in 2024. U.S. exports were dominated by frozen Alaskan pollock (AP) which represented two-thirds of U.S. seafood trade to the Netherlands. Other products imported from the United States were wild salmon, flatfish, hake, cod, squid, and dogfish. Per capita consumption of seafood has decreased somewhat in recent years, driven by the fact that fish is mainly consumed by older consumers and is not popular among young consumers. Also, fish is bought less often, and fewer different species are bought. Sales through specialized fish shops are down while sales via fish stalls are up. Growth opportunities for U.S. seafood exporters can be found in the seafood processing industry and the higher-end HRI-foodservice industry.