Skip to main content

We’ve been part of a team effort to keep oceans healthy and seafood sustainable for more than 25 years. Read about the impact we and our partners have made in our latest Annual Report.

Annual Report 2022-2023

2022-23 has been another landmark year for the ocean and for seafood. In June 2022, the UN Ocean Summit called for a "Blue Transformation" to enable aquatic foods to make a greater contribution to food security. At the UN biodiversity conference (COP 15), MSC certification was officially recognised as an indicator to measure countries’ progress towards two of the targets in the new global biodiversity framework. In March 2023, UN member states reached an agreement in New York on the High Seas Treaty, the result of 20 years of talk.

At the same time, over 15 million tonnes, or 19%, of all wild marine catch is now engaged with the MSC.

There are still multiple challenges, but we are investing in research into the impacts of climate change on sustainable fishing and increasing our efforts to engage with and build support among governments, environmental NGOs and scientists.

Download our latest report for:

  • Features on key species groups including white fish, small pelagics, tuna, octopus and squid, crab and lobster, salmon, prawn and shrimp, bivalves, and seaweed.
  • Features on the Blue Transformation and our strategy for 2030
  • Small-scale and developing region fisheries: An overview of how the Pathway to Sustainability projects and the In-Transition to MSC program are increasing accessibility.
  • The revised Fisheries Standard: Now in effect, version 3.0 of the Standard strengthens measures on evidence, endangered species, ghost gear and harvest strategies.
  • The Ocean Stewardship Fund: How grants have helped vital research on sharks, turtles and seabirds and habitats, from Alaska to Madagascar.
Celebrating Sustainable Seafood

Celebrating Sustainable Seafood

Highlights and key stats from our annual report.  
MSC Annual Report 2022-23 Supplementary Information
Download download file PDF - 1 MB
MSC Annual Report 2022-23 Supplementary Information data
Download download file XLSX - 1 MB

Previous reports

MSC Annual Report 2021-2022
Date of issue: 18 October 2022
Download download file PDF - 10 MB
MSC Annual Report 2020-2021
Language: English
Date of issue: 04 October 2021
Download download file PDF - 10 MB
MSC Annual Report 2019-2020
Description: Celebrating and supporting sustainable fisheries
Language: English
Date of issue: 01 October 2020
Download download file PDF - 7 MB
MSC Annual Report 2018-2019
Description: Working together for thriving oceans.
Language: English
Date of issue: 10 October 2019
Download download file PDF - 6 MB
MSC Annual Report 2017-2018
Description: Seafood for future generations.
Language: English
Date of issue: 20 February 2019
Download download file PDF - 5 MB
MSC Annual Report 2016-17
Description: MSC 20th anniversary Annual Report. Wild. Certified. Sustainable.
Language: English
Date of issue: 18 October 2017
Download download file PDF - 13 MB
MSC Strategic Plan summary 2017-2020
Description: A summary of the MSC's current strategic plan, outlining the MSC’s main strategic directions and priorities from 2017 to 2020
Date of issue: 24 May 2017
Download download file PDF - 2 MB

Science and Standards reports

MSC Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Report 2022
Date of issue: 16 May 2022
Download download file PDF - 2 MB
MSC Global Impacts Update 2019
Description: An updated review of the Marine Stewardship Council program and the improvements made by MSC certified fisheries around the world.
Language: English
Date of issue: 08 June 2019
Date effective: 08 June 2019
Download download file PDF - 8 MB
MSC Global Impacts Report 2017
Description: A 20th anniversary review of the Marine Stewardship Council program and the progress and improvements made by MSC certified fisheries around the world.
Language: English
Date of issue: 01 June 2017
Download download file PDF - 7 MB

 

 

More about the MSC

Our Strategy

Our Strategy

Our Strategic Plans provide essential direction to help us make the greatest improvements to marine environments.

The MSC and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The MSC and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Data from the MSC is used by the UN Environment Programme to track progress towards international goals to end overfishing and protect biodiversity.

How we meet best practice

How we meet best practice

It’s vital that everyone, from fishers to retailers, scientists to consumers, has confidence in the blue MSC label.