2 - Get certified

You can use the MSC ecolabel to show that seafood has come from an independently certified sustainable fishery. To ensure its integrity, wherever the ecolabel is used, every link in the supply chain has to be certified to the MSC Chain of Custody standard for seafood traceability.

As a restaurant or take-away, you are the last link in that supply chain, and your business will also need to be audited to show it meets the MSC Chain of Custody standard. Audits are carried out by independent certifiers, also known as auditors.

What the audit checks

To get certified, a certifier will audit your restaurant or take-away against the MSC Chain of Custody standard for seafood traceability. Find out what is checked during this audit.

Prepare for the audit

A little preparation will help to ensure the process runs smoothly for you. Find out how your restaurant or take-away and your staff can prepare for the audit and ensure its success. 

Complete the audit

Until now, all audits against the MSC standard have been carried out by a certifier who visits your restaurant or take-away. Between January and June 2010 MSC is also trialling online assessments for some restaurants and take-aways in the UK and the Netherlands. Find out which option is best for your restaurant, and what is involved for each. 

After certification

Find out what happens after your restaurant or take-away is certified and how to make the most out of your certification.