The Ocean Stewardship Fund offers grants to both MSC certified sustainable fisheries and improving fisheries.
Applications for the Ocean Stewardship Fund 2023 are now closed.
In 2022, the Ocean Stewardship Fund awarded over £700,000 to 22 fisheries and projects in 12 countries around the world.
These projects are working to promote collaboration and innovation in the industry, with a focus on protecting marine biodiversity, specifically habitat impacts and interactions with endangered, threatened and protected species.
Five strands of funding are available under the Ocean Stewardship Fund.
Supporting scientific research
Our Science and Research Fund awards grants of up to £50,000 for research projects that help certified fisheries uphold best practice in sustainability and maintain certification. This includes projects aimed at closing conditions of MSC certification.
This year we particularly welcome projects focusing on bycatch reduction. Priority will be given to projects that aim to develop low-cost solutions and which have strong match funding in place.
Read more about the Science and Research Fund >
Supporting fisheries making long term commitments to sustainability
Our Recertification Assistance Fund helps MSC certified fisheries with the cost of Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) fees for the second or subsequent recertification audit.
Recertification grants are limited to either 75% of the CAB’s recertification audit costs, or GBP £30,000, whichever is lower.
Read more about the Recertification Assistance Fund >
Supporting fisheries on the path to sustainability
Our Transition Assistance Fund supports fisheries making progress toward MSC certification. Grants of up to £50,000 are available to any fisheries in developing economies and any small-scale fisheries that are committed to achieving MSC certification and are verified through our In-Transition to MSC (ITM) program.
Supporting postgraduate student research to improve fisheries
The MSC Student Research Grants support postgraduate students who carry out research with fisheries engaged with the MSC or working toward the MSC Fisheries Standard.
The program provides up to £5,000 per postgraduate student project for travel and other support.
Supporting innovation in the industry
The Innovation Fund supports research that is a strategic priority for the MSC.
Find out more
Transition Assistance Fund
The Transition Assistance Fund supports small-scale fisheries and fisheries in developing economies on their pathway to sustainability, and is part of our Ocean Stewardship Fund.
Science and Research Fund
The Science and Research Fund provides grants of up to £50,000 to support research projects that help fisheries meet and maintain sustainability best practice.
Student Research Grant
The MSC Student Research Grant support postgraduate students around the world with projects related to a specific fishery and the MSC Fisheries Standard.