We set the world's most recognized standards for environmentally sustainable fishing and for the supply chains that sell certified sustainable fish and seafood.
Our Standards
The MSC created and maintains two Standards that help bring sustainable seafood to dinner tables around the world. Our Standards meet international best practice guidelines for certification and ecolabeling.
- The MSC Fisheries Standard is for environmentally sustainable fishing.
- The MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard is for products in the supply chain.
The Standards were developed through consultation with the fishing industry, scientists, conservationists, experts, and stakeholders.
The MSC also has a joint Seaweed Standard with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), which rewards environmentally and socially responsible seaweed production.
MSC Fisheries Standard
The MSC Fisheries Standard is used to determine if a fishery is well-managed and environmentally sustainable. It is applied equally to fisheries around the world, regardless of species, fishing method, environment, or size. To become MSC certified, fisheries
voluntarily apply to be assessed against the Standard. It’s open to all fisheries that catch marine or freshwater organisms in the wild. This includes most types of fish and shellfish. If they're successful, they can then sell their catch with
the MSC blue fish label. The MSC Fishery Standard is updated every five years.
Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard
The MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard does two main things: (1) It provides assurance that certified fish and seafood products are kept separate from non-MSC certified products throughout
the supply chain. (2) It ensures that certified companies have procedures in place so certified fish and seafood products can be traced back to MSC certified sustainable fisheries. To achieve and maintain CoC certification, businesses are regularly
assessed against the Standard by an independent third-party certification body.
ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard
The ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard rewards environmentally sustainable and socially responsible seaweed production. It is open to cultured and wild harvest seaweed operations worldwide.
Developing our Standards
Every few years, we review the MSC Standards so they remain relevant.