What is the MSC?

The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organisation

established to address the problem of unsustainable fishing and safeguard
seafood supplies for the future.

Our vision is for the worlds oceans to be teeming with life today, tomorrow
and for generations to come. A sustainable seafood market is crucial to making
this vision a reality.

We use our blue MSC label and fishery certification program to contribute to the
health of the worlds oceans. We want to transform the seafood market by
recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices and influencing the
choices people make when buying seafood. We work with fisheries and
businesses around the world to achieve this mission.

What we do

The MSC works with scientists, fisheries, seafood producers and brands
to promote sustainable fishing and safeguard seafood supplies for the
future.

Set standards

We set and maintain credible standards for sustainable wild fishing and seafood
traceability. These standards set a benchmark that drives global seafood
markets to become more sustainable.

Work with fisheries

We offer fisheries a way to gain recognition and reward for good environmental
management. Partnership with fisheries helps create a market for sustainable
seafood and offers other fisheries incentives to change.

Work with seafood brands and retailers

We work with some of the world's leading retailers, restaurants and seafood
brands. Many have placed MSC certification at the centre of their sustainable
seafood policies.

Work with developing countries

Half of the world's seafood comes from developing countries, where millions
rely on fish as a vital source of nutrition and income. We work with partners to
give all fisheries equal opportunities to enter MSC assessment.

Raise awareness with consumers

The blue MSC label gives everyone an easy way to choose wild, sustainable
seafood that they can trust. Look for the label when shopping or dining out.

We set credible standards for sustainable fishing and supply chain traceability.
Organisations meet these standards in order to demonstrate the sustainability
of their products.

The blue MSC label makes it easy for everyone to choose seafood which has
been caught by fisheries which care for the environment.

Benefits of using the MSC ecolabel

The MSC ecolabel provides independent, third party verification that your
seafood product comes from a sustainable fishery. It is the most widely
recognised and trusted indicator of seafood sustainability.

Using the MSC ecolabel:

will demonstrate your company's commitment to sustainability.

can help you to stand out from competitors and attract new customers.

lets your customers know the fish they're buying is from a sustainable
source - no guessing or further research is needed, its assured.

Only fisheries that meet the highest standards of sustainability are certified as
meeting the MSC Fisheries Standard.

Benefits of MSC certification

Potential benefits include:

Sustainable fisheries

Reputation enhanced
 Livelihoods protected

Access to new markets

Existing markets secured

Possible price premiums

Promotional opportunities
Achieving certification to the MSC Fisheries Standard validates the
efforts made by your fishery to ensure the long term sustainability of
marine environments. By ensuring that your fishing practices are
sustainable you will be helping to secure jobs and fishing-based
economies for the future. You could also enhance your reputation and
secure new business opportunities.
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1. Oceans need to be safeguarded: they are home to an amazing

diversity of life, they support the livelihoods of 1/10 of the world's
population and fish makes up 1/6 of our animal protein.
2. But marine ecosystems are under enormous pressure:
unsustainable fishing is threatening fish populations, ocean habitats,
coastal fishing communities and economies.

3. The MSC provides a solution: by choosing MSC labelled seafood you

are supporting independently certified sustainable fisheries. Their
good management practices help ensure fish stocks are healthy, the
protect the marine environment and secure fishing community
livelihoods.

4. Sustainability is based on science: to be MSC certified, fisheries are

independently assessed by scientists and marine experts to ensure
they meet our standard for environmentally sustainable fishing.
Annual audits ensure that they maintain these standards.

5. You're helping to protect a whole ecosystem: Its not all about one
species - MSC certified fisheries minimise their impacts on the marine
environment to ensure healthy, thriving oceans for the future.

6. You can buy with confidence: Processors, retailers and restaurants

must ensure that MSC certified seafood is not mixed with uncertified
product and can be traced back to a certified fishery. Therefore, you
can be sure that the product is correctly labelled.

7. Theres plenty to choose from! There are tens of thousands of

products with the MSC ecolabel available in 100 countries.
8. Theres a choice for every budget: MSC ecolabelled products range
from pickled herring to luxury caviar.
9. Youre helping to drive change: Your purchases are incentivising
more fisheries, retailers and restaurants around the world to produce
and sell MSC certified sustainable seafood.

10. You can enjoy your seafood knowing that tomorrow there will be
plenty more where it came from!
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Fisheries Certification Requirements

The MSC Certification Requirements for fisheries set out how third-party
conformity assessment bodies (CABs) assess a fishery against the MSC
Fisheries Standard.

The Certification Requirements are developed to ensure consistent application

and delivery of the MSC scheme. The requirements were updated and
published on 1 October 2014 following the MSC's two-year Fisheries Standard
Review. The new Certification Requirements (version 2.0) became effective on
1 April 2015.

The requirements consist of three documents:

General Certification Requirements and Guidance (GCR-GGCR)

These set out the steps that accredited certifcation bodies must follow to
undertake assessments against the MSC Fisheries and Chain of Custody
Standards.

Fisheries Certification Requirements (FCR)

These set out how the MSC fisheries standard should be applied when
assessing fisheries for MSC certification. The FCR details the steps of the
assessment process as well as the default assessment tree, which is used to
score fisheries.

Guidance to the MSC Fisheries Certification Requirements (GFCR)

This helps certification bodies interpret the FCR, with detailed explanations of
specific clauses, including examples and options for different fishery situations.

The requirements are structured in sequence based on the International

Organization for Standardization's (ISO) Guide 17065, the international
standard for certification systems.
Key stages of MSC certification

"If there is one piece of advice I would give to a fishery entering the MSC process, its get
organised make sure you have a really great project manager to take you through it." - David
Carter, CEO, Austral Fisheries, Australia

1. Pre-assessment (optional)

Identifies any potential challenges for certification. If the pre-assessment is positive a fishery
may decide to proceed directly to full assessment. Alternatively a fishery may first address the
issues that need improvement through an action plan, before entering full assessment.

2. Full assessment

Includes opportunities for stakeholder input and peer review. Takes between 6 and 18 months.

3. Certification

Lasts up to 5 years. During this time the fishery makes any improvements required as a
condition of certification.

4. Annual audits

Carried out by the certifier to ensure continued compliance.

5. Reassessment

Within five years of the last certificate being granted.

Cost and time

Time and costs can vary depending on your fishery. Its always best to speak to an MSC
representative who can guide you through the process.