Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification
Fishery and Chain of Custody Assessment
Why obtain MSC certification?
The consumption of seafood is increasing worldwide, as is concern about the degradation of fish stocks and ecosystems (overexploited resources, environmental impact of fishing, climate change, etc.). In this context, today's consumers and retailers are increasingly demanding that producers, processors, and importers provide proof that their products come from sustainable and traceable sources.
Bureau Veritas is firmly committed to the fishing industry to ensure responsible fishing practices. Our MSC certification service enables you to comply with industry-recognized sustainable fishing standards, demonstrate full traceability, and strengthen your brand's reputation and image.
This will enable you to:
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Protect
marine resources and ecosystems.
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Gain
better access to markets through strong differentiation.
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Improved
customer and consumer confidence.
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Enhanced
brand and company image.
WHAT IS THE MARINE STEWARDSHIP
COUNCIL (MSC)?
The MSC is an independent, non-profit organization founded in 1997 with the goal of transforming the seafood market to make itmore sustainable.
The MSC has developed two standards:
#1. Fisheries Assessment
This is used to determine whether a fishery is well managed and sustainable, as it reflects the most current and internationally accepted knowledge in the field of science and fisheries management. This standard is based on three fundamental principles:
- Principle 1 - Sustainable stocks: requires that fisheries are managed so as not to lead to overfishing or depletion of the target stock, and in the case of depleted stocks, fishing must be conducted in a manner that leads to verifiable recovery.
- Principle 2 - Environmental impact of fishing: fishing operations must be conducted in a manner that allows the structure, productivity, function, and diversity of the ecosystem in which they operate to be maintained.
- Principle 3 - Effective fisheries management: The fishery operates under a management framework that complies with laws and incorporates regulatory frameworks that require the responsible and sustainable use of resources.
Compliance with the MSC fisheries standard allows companies, shipowners and/or customers to assure their buyers that fish stocks are harvested responsibly and will remain sustainable for future generations.
Bureau Veritas has more than 10 years of experience providing value and assurance through its fisheries certification service to clients worldwide.
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How do I become MSC certified?
Bureau Veritas offers its clients pre-assessment and full assessment services for fisheries under the MSC fisheries standard:
- Pre-assessment: The pre-assessment provides an initial diagnosis of the fishery against the requirements of the MSC fisheries standard. It allows the client to identify the fishery's current gaps, information necessary to undertake an assessment and its likelihood of success in a full assessment. A pre-assessment is voluntary and the results are confidential.
- MSC full assessment: This is a comprehensive, transparent and independent certification assessment process, subject to public scrutiny by stakeholders and peer reviewers. This assessment can be carried out for any fishery regardless of its size, location and type. The stages of the assessment are established by the Marine Stewardship Council and subject to consultation periods.
- In addition, Bureau Veritas also offers its services to fisheries interested in obtaining MSC certification under the MSC Improvement Program. The MSC Improvement Program is aimed at fisheries that wish to engage in credible FIPs with an independent verification approach and offers the opportunity to obtain funding for the implementation of improvements through the MSC Ocean Stewardship Fund.
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The certification process
- Service request: Contact us and fill out our application form.
- Preparation of the offer: After receiving the completed application form and evaluating the preliminary information on the fishery, a technical and economic proposal is prepared, including details such as the scope, certification costs, steps, and schedule of the audit process.
- Pre-assessment (optional): Our independent team of experts conducts a diagnostic assessment of the fishery. Based on the results of the pre-assessment, the client will know the likelihood of obtaining MSC certification under a full assessment and can prepare accordingly.
- Full MSC assessment: Our independent team of experts begins the assessment of the fishery based on the information provided by the client. Our team prepares an initial report, which, after being reviewed and approved by the client, is published and undergoes an initial public consultation process. After the public consultation, an on-site visit is conducted, where the assessment team meets with stakeholders who have been contacted and have expressed their willingness to meet and contribute information to the process. The process is then completed with a series of public reports established by MSC, culminating in the Public Certification Report, which contains the decision on whether or not to grant certification.
- Annual monitoring and recertification: MSC certification is valid for five years, subject to annual monitoring audits that assess the fishery's performance and progress. At the end of the fifth year, recertification takes place and the process is repeated from the beginning.
#2. Chain of custody
The second for Chain of Custody (traceability) in the supply chain. This “From Company to Consumer” standard allows the MSC logo to be displayed on products, visible to consumers. The certification process includes an initial audit focused on traceability management. After the initial audit, if the conclusion is favorable, a certificate valid for three years is issued. To maintain certification, annual follow-up audits will be conducted for the following two years.
To obtain MSC certification, your company must comply with the MSC Chain of Custody standard, which must be verified by an accredited certification body such as Bureau Veritas, to demonstrate that your seafood products can be traced back to MSC-certified fisheries. The list of certified fisheries is available on the website www.msc.org
Why choose Bureau Veritas?
Bureau Veritas is a leading international certification services company, accredited by Assurance Services International to conduct assessments under the MSC fisheries standard.
It has a long history since its founding in 1928 and offers its clients an international staff of scientists and experts in the field of fisheries assessment and management. Bureau Veritas has been certifying fisheries for more than ten years across a wide range of species worldwide, applying a rigorous and independent approach that allows our clients to assert that their products are caught from sustainable sources.
It offers proven experience in the fishing industry: Bureau Veritas accompanies every step of the seafood supply chain to ensure compliance with the most demanding standards in sustainability and the environment, quality, health and safety, and social responsibility.