After certification
If no objections have been raised during the 21-day period of ‘intent to object’, the fishery is certified. Your certifier will issue a Public Certification Report, reflecting annual surveillance and any action plan commitments and will also provide you with a fishery certificate. The fishery is now certified for a maximum period of 5 years, subject to annual surveillance audits.
Post-certification requirements
Chain of Custody and ecolabel licensing
Sharing the news
This is a time to celebrate and promote your certification! You need to work with the MSC and your certifier to announce that you have achieved certification. This is big news and a great opportunity for media coverage and promotion, so dedicate time to identify what you want your public statement to be. It is worth developing a communications plan together with the MSC that outlines what will take place when, where and how.
Please note that the following things need to be in place before a public announcement can be made:
• The MSC must have received the Public Certification Report from your certifier;
• The certifier must have issued your fishery certificate;
• You must have agreed and signed a Surveillance Contract with a certifier as well as an Action Plan to fulfil any conditions.
There are several options that could be considered, each requiring between a week and six or eight weeks of planning. Possibilities include:
• A simple press release, perhaps combined with a media conference call;
• A small launch event for the media;
• A launch event for the media and commercial contacts;
• Simultaneous announcements in different parts of the world;
• A substantial event, combined with a group media visit to the fishery.
These are just a few of the options that are available - the right one depends upon your needs and media interest in the fishery, as well as other factors. Liaise with all parties early on to ensure that you make the most of the announcement.
The MSC communications team can offer detailed advice about the best way to make your announcement.
Post-certification requirements
Your certifier will work with you to develop a program of surveillance visits or audits.
The certifier is required to carry out audits annually over the 5 year period of fishery certification. The certifier does have the right however, to conduct an unannounced audit at any time or schedule more frequent audits if circumstances indicate the need. These may have budgetary implications, so you should ensure your budget includes sufficient funds to cover the cost of audits for the duration of the certificate.
Each audit will examine any significant changes that might have occurred either in the physical environment or in the management of the fishery. Each audit will also examine whether you, as the client, is satisfactorily addressing any certification conditions. Failure to make adequate progress can be enough justification for the certifier to suspend or withdraw your certificate, so it is important to work on fulfilling any conditions the certifier has set.
Prior to the agreed annual audit, the certifier provides details of planned dates for the surveillance visits to the MSC, who emails interested stakeholders and updates the MSC website. Once the annual audit is complete, the certifier provides a report to the MSC, who once again emails interested stakeholders and makes the report publicly available on the MSC website.
Reaping the benefits
The process does not end with the granting of the fishery certificate, indeed fishery certification is really the starting point!
Retailers and consumers throughout the world want MSC-labelled seafood products. As the MSC label has become more widely recognised the demand for certified product has grown. Gaining certification can open new doors for your product. Contact your regional MSC office for information and advice on how to best launch and promote fish and seafood from the newly certified fishery.
Chain of Custody and ecolabel licensing
Businesses that wish to display the MSC ecolabel on their products need to know that the fish they are buying is traceable through every link in the supply chain, back to a certified fishery. Each company in the supply chain therefore needs to meet the MSC Chain of Custody standard for seafood traceability. This protects against uncertified products entering the chain and prevents unscrupulous companies from realising benefits they have neither paid for nor deserve. Chain of Custody certified companies are listed in our Find a supplier search, a tool for businesses seeking certified sustainable seafood.
The Get Certified! Supply chain area of this website explains how companies in the supply chain can meet the requirements of the MSC Chain of Custody certification programme and sets out in clear, easily understood sections exactly what needs to be done.
After being certified for chain of custody, companies wishing to use the MSC ecolabel on their products must obtain a licence from the MSC's trading company, Marine Stewardship Council International (MSCI).
Both the chain of custody and licensing procedure will have additional budgetary implications. Should you have any queries with regard to these issues, you should contact the MSC directly.
