What the audit checks

The MSC has one of the best seafood traceability certification programs in the world, ensuring that the MSC ecolabel is the most trusted indicator of seafood sustainability. Wherever the ecolabel is used, you and your customers can be sure that seafood has come from an independently certified sustainable fishery, and that every link in the supply chain has been certified for traceability.

As a restaurant, you are the last link in that supply chain, and your restaurant will also need to be certified to sell seafood as ‘MSC certified.’ To get certified, you must show that your restaurant meets the MSC Chain of Custody standard for seafood traceability.

Does my restaurant meet the MSC Chain of Custody standard?

Getting certified involves an audit of your restaurant by an accredited certifier or auditor. The auditor will check that your company and employees always:

•    Buy MSC certified seafood only from suppliers with a valid Chain of Custody certificate
•    Keep MSC certified seafood separate from non-certified seafood
•    Make sure MSC certified seafood is clearly identified
•    Keep track of deliveries, processing and sales of MSC certified seafood
•    Make sure the MSC ecolabel is only applied to MSC certified seafood

What certified restaurants say

“The invoices come in with the fish. We weigh three fish and put the average on the invoice. You’ve got to keep everything on the record so I made a spreadsheet of invoices and weights. It is easy to keep up to date and only takes two minutes.” 

Katrina Clayton, Manager
The Duke of Cambridge, The UK's first organic gastro pub

Take the next step

Get certified - find out how your restaurant can prepare for an audit, and more about how you can complete the audit.