We provide fisheries certification against the MSC Environmental Standard for Sustainable Fishing. Fish products bearing the MSC eco-label comes from well managed and sustainable fish stocks. Providing proof of sustainable operations demonstrates good resource stewardship to environmentally conscious consumers and stakeholders.
Consumers and retailers increasingly demand guarantees that seafood products have not contributed to the environmental or social problems caused by over-fishing. The MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) standard for sustainable fishing offers fisheries a way to confirm sustainability, using a credible, independent, third-party assessment process.
Certification in accordance with this standard demonstrates a commitment to sustainable practices, gives sustainable fisheries recognition in the market, and provides assurance to consumers and retailers that their seafood products come from a well managed and sustainable source.
The MSC standard for sustainable fishing only applies to wild-catch fisheries, and can be used to certify wild captured freshwater and marine species.
What are the benefits?
There are many reasons why fisheries choose to become certified, and there are several possible advantages from certification:
• Fulfilling market requirement of third-party verification of sustainability
• Differentiated products in an increasingly competitive marketplace
• Preferred supplier status and premium price for the fish
• A way of adapting to the trend of more environmentally conscious consumers
• Demonstrating good resource stewardship to the community and stakeholders
• Pursuing transition to self-management
How we can help you
As an accredited certifier, DNV (Det Norske Veritas) assesses fisheries against the three MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing:
Principle 1: Status of the fish stocks
The fishing activity must be at a level which is sustainable for the fish population. Any certified fishery must operate so that fishing can continue indefinitely and is not overexploiting the resources.
Principle 2: Minimal environmental impact
Fishing operations should be managed to maintain the structure, productivity, function and diversity of the ecosystem on which the fishery depends.
Principle 3: Effective managementsystem
The fishery must meet all local, national and international laws and must have a management system in place to respond to changing circumstances and maintain sustainability.
While measuring against three principles, unique circumstances of the fishery are taken into consideration. An issued certificate is valid for five years, but once a fishery has been certified, all companies in the supply chain must have the MSC Chain of Custody certification. This ensures that only seafood from certified fisheries carries the MSC eco-label.
How can I prepare for certification?
1. Contact DNV to get more information
2. Give responsibility for progress to a person within the organisation and have a designated contact person in the certification body
3. Decide who the customer should be, taking into account the rights and responsibilities that come with the certificate
4. Make sure you have a clear purpose and understanding of what you want to accomplish through the certification process
5. Decide what should be certified in terms of the specific fishery, fish stock or particular gears/fishing methods 6. Collect as much information as possible concerning your fish stock and related issues as it speeds up the assessment and reduces related costs. By filling in this form you will access ten tips for speeding up the certification process.
7. Have a clear understanding of likely time frames
8. Ensure the support and input of all stakeholders
The most important element in the certification process is to transparently identify and address issues about target stock(s), the impact of fishing on the marine environment, and the effectiveness of the fishery’s management system. It is important to be aware of the fact that unique circumstances out of your company’s control may prevent you from becoming certified, such as unsustainable governmental policies. For this reason the pre-assessment is a fundamental step in the certification process, in order to identify possible problems at a very early stage.
What is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)?
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent, global, non-profit organisation. It was first set up as a joint effort to solve the problem of over-fishing by Unilever and the WWF in 1997. It became independent in 1999 and continues to work to enhance responsible development of seafood resources, ensure the sustainability of global fish stocks and the health of the marine ecosystem. Its mission is “to safeguard the world’s seafood supply by promoting the best environmental choice”, working to prevent the decline of the world’s most important renewable food source.
