There are several stages in the assessment process, at each you have the chance to provide information about the fishery to the assessment team for their consideration.

Getting involved early in the process will enable the assessment team to give the best possible consideration to your input.  Information provided at the start of the assessment should always be passed on to the expert assessment team to assist them in making their certification decision on the fishery.

The stages in the assessment process where your input is needed are given below.  

1. Fishery announcement and assessment team formation: Identify yourself as a stakeholder and comment on the assessment team

If you have an interest in the fishery or the wider impacts of a fishery this is your chance to identify yourself. You should contact the certifier and you will be made fully aware of the steps in the assessment process and your opportunities to participate.

The assessment team is the group of independent experts that evaluate the fishery against the MSC environmental standard for sustainable fishing. You are invited to comment on whether you think the individuals chosen to assess the fishery have the appropriate experience and expertise to conduct the assessment. Although certifiers are not required to request stakeholder input at this stage, most do. 

2. Building the assessment tree: Comment on the performance indicators and scoring guideposts that the fishery will be assessed against

After the draft assessment tree is posted to this website and announced to stakeholders, there is a 30-day period for you to comment to the certifier.

The fishery assessment tree is a critical element of the fishery assessment process – it defines how an individual fishery’s performance will be uniquely assessed. It is important that the draft assessment tree is carefully reviewed to ensure completeness and appropriateness for the fishery in assessment, your input is very important.

Your input on the assessment tree is crucial. Later on, when the certifier reports on the performance of the fishery, it will be difficult to change the basis for scoring if you haven’t actively engaged in reviewing the draft assessment tree during this comment period.

From mid-2008, most fisheries will be assessed against a standardised assessment tree developed by the MSC Quality and Consistency project.  Stakeholder comments will still be invited on the tree at this stage to ensure that it adequately covers the special circumstances of each new fishery that enters MSC assessment.

3. Information gathering, stakeholder meetings and scoring: Engage with the assessment team

The certifier may announce they will visit a fishery at a defined time and location for discussions with local stakeholders.

This is your chance to meet the assessment team and ensure that they are aware of any information that you have about the fishery. If you do not wish to meet personally with the assessment team, you can submit written information for consideration.

4. Client and peer review: Comment on peer reviewers

The peer reviewers are independent experts who will provide a written review of the assessment report prepared by the assessment team. This is your chance to have your say on whether you think the individuals chosen have the appropriate experience and expertise to complete the review.

5. Public review of the draft assessment report: Comment on the draft report

After the draft report is posted to this website and announced to stakeholders, there is a 30-day period for you to comment to the certifier.

This is your chance to see the first full draft of the report. It will present the fishery’s scores against the assessment tree and provide you with an indication of the possible certification outcome. It is very important that you carefully review the report to make sure you are happy that it is a true and thorough assessment of the fishery.

6. Final report and determination: Make an objection

Following the peer reviews and the public review of the draft report, the revised Final Report for the fishery will be released for a 21 day period. During this period objections to the certification decision can be made.

There are two types of objections that can be raised:
1. Procedural objection
If you believe that the MSC’s procedures for assessing a fishery have not been followed. A procedural objection can only be lodged by stakeholders who argue that the certifiers actions have prevented or impaired their participation in the assessment process.

2. Merits objection
If you believe there is evidence that contradicts the certification decision. In other words, you believe that the decision made by the certifier (whether positive or negative) is not supported by the evidence presented in the report. A merits objection may only be lodged by those stakeholders who submitted written comments to the certifier during the fishery assessment process and/or attended stakeholder meetings.

7. Public certification report and certificate issue

This is the final step in the process. If no objections are received, the certifier will release the final Public Certification Report and issue a fishery certificate. The fishery is now certified for 5 years and will be subject to annual (at minimum) surveillance and recertification at the 4 year mark.

You can still keep track of the fishery on the MSC website and contribute to the annual surveillance process.