Website privacy policy

Marine Stewardship Council ('MSC', 'we', 'us', 'our') is committed to ensuring your privacy is protected.

This policy sets out how we collect, use, processes, transfer, publish and store your personal data when you visit our website (www.msc.org) or otherwise provide personal data to us.

See here for our MSC Child-friendly GDPR Privacy Notice >

The MSC has its headquarters at Marine House, 1 Snow Hill, London EC1A 2DH, United Kingdom and is the data controller of your personal data, so please read it carefully.

Questions should be directed to [email protected] or by telephone on +44 0 2072 468900.

1. Personal data we collect

We collect, process, store and use personal data when you visit our website or submit data via our online forms. This may include your name, email address and any other details you voluntarily provide.

Where you submit an objection through the MSC Objection Procedure, your name and title may be published on the MSC Track a Fishery page. Confidential information provided within the Objection Procedure is redacted before publication following the process described in that Procedure.

We process personal data to administer our website and forms, respond to enquiries, support our mission of sustainable fishing, and, where you opt in, to send you marketing communications. More details and lawful bases appear in Section 4.

You do not need to provide personal data to browse our site, however, some data listed in Section 2 will still be collected automatically.

Correspondence is normally retained for no more than two (2) years unless longer retention is legally required.

2. Data we automatically collect and why

When you visit our site, we collect standard internet log and behavioural information such as:

• traffic data
• location data
• pages visited
• browser type and operating system.

This helps us understand how users engage with our website and improve performance.

Collection takes place via cookies and analytics tools, as described in Section 7, with consent obtained where required.

3. Marketing Communications

If you opt-in, we process your data to send newsletters, blog updates, surveys and events information. You may withdraw consent or opt out of marketing at any time by emailing [email protected] or clicking unsubscribe.

We will update your preferences within five (5) UK business days.

Your data for marketing purposes is retained until you withdraw consent or opt-out.

In some cases, we can send you direct marketing without your consent, where we rely on our legitimate interests. You have an absolute right to opt out of direct marketing, or profiling we carry out for direct marketing, at any time. You can do this by following the instructions in the communication where this is an electronic message or by contacting us using the details set out above.

4. Lawful processing and sources of personal data

We process your personal data for the purposes and lawful bases set out below:

5. Who we share your data with

MSC never sells personal data.

We may share aggregated statistical information with our subsidiaries and regional offices that cannot identify you.

When an objection is submitted, your name and title may appear publicly on Track a Fishery solely to meet transparency obligations. Confidential information provided within the Objection Procedure is redacted before publication following the process described in that Procedure.

Personal data may also be disclosed when required by laws or to protect rights, property, or safety.

6. Where we hold and process your data

Most data is stored on servers within the UK or European Union (EU). Occasionally, data may be transferred to countries outside these regions (for example, if service providers host in other jurisdictions).

We only transfer data where adequate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Adequacy decisions recognised by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) with the UK International Data Transfer Addendum, or
• Binding Corporate Rules approved under UK law.

Where personal data is shared with Assurance Services International GmbH (ASI) or German-based partners, transfers rely on EU-UK adequacy arrangements or SCCs compliant with both UK and EU law.

Further details are available from [email protected] or via the ICO's website.

7. Cookies

Marine Stewardship Council ('MSC', 'we', 'us', 'our') is committed to ensuring you understand how cookies are used on our website and social media tools.

A cookie is a small text file used to recognise your browser. Our site uses cookies for functionality, analytics, and marketing. You may customise or withdraw cookie consent any time through our website Cookie Consent Manager, that allows control by category (essential, analytics, functional, marketing).

Blocking certain cookies may affect site performance. Retention periods for each cookie type are listed below and do not exceed the stated lifespan.

For more information on how you can customise your browser's cookie setting please visit the link to your web browser below:

• Chrome
• Safari
• Internet Explorer
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla

See here for our MSC Child-friendly GDPR Privacy Notice >

8. Security and governance

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect data against unauthorised access, loss or alteration.

The MSC Data Protection Lead reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer. Data governance policies are reviewed on an ongoing basis to reflect changes in applicable data protection law and best practices, including the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems.

9. Your rights

You have the following rights (in addition to the right to be informed about the collection and use of your personal data, via this policy and other privacy notices).

• Access: obtain a copy of your personal data.
• Rectification: to require us to correct errors in the personal data if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Erasure: to require that we delete your personal data.
• Restriction: to restrict the processing of your personal data.
• Objection: object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.

  Note: If you object, we will stop processing your personal data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing, or the processing is required for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims

• Data portability: where processing is based on your consent or a contract and carried out by automated means, to request us to transmit personal data that you have provided to us to a third party, or to give you a copy of it so that you can transmit it to a third party, where technically feasible.
• Not be subject to automated decision-making: MSC does not use automated decisions producing legal or significant effects without human review.

We will acknowledge receipt of rights requests within thirty (30) days.

These rights may be limited, for example if fulfilling your request would reveal personal data about another person, or if you ask us to delete information which we are required by law or have compelling legitimate interests to keep.

Withdrawal of consent may be exercised at any time without affecting earlier lawful processing.

To exercise these rights, or any other rights you may have under applicable laws, please contact us at [email protected].

Privacy complaints

If you have any complaints in relation to this policy or otherwise in relation to our processing of your personal data, you have the right to complain to us via email at [email protected]. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days, and to take appropriate steps to respond to the complaint.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your complaint, you may also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) (or the relevant supervisory authority in a jurisdiction outside the UK). More information about making a complaint to the ICO can be found here.

Please note, we can charge an administrative fee if your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

10. Retention

We keep:

• General correspondence - up to two (2) years.
• Enquiry records - six (6) months after final contact.
• Marketing data - until you withdraw consent or opt out.
• Objection-related files - visible online for up to six (6) months after final decision publication, then deleted or anonymised in accordance with confidentiality requirements.

11. Linked websites

Our website may link to external sites beyond MSC's control. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. You should review the privacy notices of any site visited through external inks.

12. General

If any provision of this policy is held invalid or unenforceable by a competent court, then such provision shall be construed, as nearly as possible, to reflect the intentions of the parties and all other provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

This policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales, and disputes fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

MSC reviews this policy on an ongoing basis to reflect relevant changes occur in data-protection law or ISEAL Code requirements. Continued use of the website after an announced effective date signifies acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Version control

Version 1.1. - May 2026 (next review: May 2027)

Document history