Developing our Standards

Reviewing our Standards

Our Standard reviews are consistent with best practice codes and guidelines provided by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), ISEAL and the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI). These reviews engage academics, fellow NGOs, governments and industry.

The MSC Chain of Custody Standard

Every three to five years we review our Chain of Custody Standard, which consists of one default and two additional versions for Group and Consumer-Facing Organisation. 

This enables us to respond to stakeholder concerns, market changes and advances in supply chain traceability best practice. 

The MSC Fisheries Standard

We initiate a review of the MSC Fisheries Standard every five years, in line with the ISEAL Standard Setting Code of Best Practice. 

We review our Standard to ensure it reflects the evolution and uptake of best practice in fisheries management. We also make changes to improve the implementation of our Standard, and consider issues raised by stakeholders and data from our own monitoring and evaluation team. 

Fisheries Program Revisions

The most recent Fisheries Standard Review ended in July 2022. However, feedback from our stakeholders, including independent assessors and fishery representatives, highlighted aspects of the updated Standard that are unclear and overly complex. 

We are currently making essential revisions to ensure our Standard is clear, can be consistently applied, and delivers the intended sustainability outcomes.

A program of work is underway to develop and test these revisions, collectively known as the Fisheries Program Revisions. 

It includes a review of the Fisheries Standard Toolbox and associated areas of the Fisheries Standard, and targeted revisions to additional areas of the Standard and Fisheries Certification process where key changes are required.

The Fisheries Certification Process

The Fisheries Certification Process is the instruction manual for Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) and defines the processes they must follow when assessing a fishery against the Fisheries Standard. 

We review the Fisheries Certification Process every two to three years. This process reviews how academics, fellow NGOs, governments and industry are involved in fishery assessments. We also look at improving the efficiency of the assessment process.

The latest review of the Fisheries Certification Process was completed in 2022, alongside the review of our Fisheries Standard. Find out how the Fisheries Certification Process changed.

How does Standard development work?

 

1. The MSC develops the MSC Fisheries, Seaweed and Chain of Custody Standards over time. We also regularly develop the process that certifiers use to assess fisheries and supply chain companies against our Standards.
   
2. An issue is put forward by a stakeholder or is raised by the MSC.
   
3. Issues are reviewed by the MSC, and some are taken forward. These issues are investigated by the MSC through research and a process of public consultation and stakeholder workshops.
   
4. The issue and proposals to develop the program are discussed by two groups:
    - The MSC's Technical Advisory Board, an independent panel of experts.
    - The Stakeholder Advisory Council, a council of MSC’s stakeholder groups and independent representatives.
   
5. These two groups provide advice and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees about the proposals. The Board of Trustees makes the final decision on whether to adopt developments into the program.

Get involved

Hundreds of people have been involved in shaping our Standards. Your expertise and insights can contribute to the development of the MSC Fisheries and Chain of Custody Standards.   

There are two main ways to get involved in the Standard development process – you can identify an issue, or you can give feedback on an issue that's open for consultation. 

Identify an issue

If there is some way you think our Standards or our certification system need to develop, please send us an email with as much detail as possible to [email protected].

How does the MSC respond to an issue?

We carefully assess every issue and decide if and when it enters into our standard development process.

Issues may be investigated by the MSC through dedicated research, evaluation and a process of public consultation and stakeholder workshops. Proposed revisions are tested to understand impact and usability as part of the Standard review process.

How long does it take for issues to be resolved?

It takes time to make modifications to our Standards. Reasonable timeframes need to be allowed to give the issue due consideration and consultation, and ensure any changes are tested and implemented.

We also need to monitor and evaluate any changes that are introduced to make sure implementation is successful in achieving the intended outcome.

To make sure fisheries can adapt to changes they must be given time. The MSC is committed to the FAO Ecolabeling guidelines. These state that fisheries are given at least three years to adapt to changes to the Standard.

What happens after you give feedback in a consultation?

MSC staff consider every response we receive as we develop proposals. Your responses are read by the Technical Advisory Board and inform their recommendations.

All responses we receive are published anonymously.

We also provide a summary response to key issues raised. At the end of the project, we will provide an evaluation of the process including a summary of how main feedback themes were incorporated into revisions.

For copies of reports from past public consultations, please email [email protected]

---