Fisheries Standard Review mixed and multispecies fisheries

We want to ensure that highly diverse fisheries that catch multiple species at once, also known as mixed fisheries, can be certified against the MSC Fisheries Standard.

Currently the MSC Fisheries Standard is based on single-species management requiring each individual species be assessed independently against the requirements. This is a can be a barrier for some mixed fisheries.

In a single-species fishery, management is based on the amount of fish that can be harvested from a given population without overfishing. This concept is known as Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). There are many fisheries in the MSC program that are managed using MSY, such as certified tuna fisheries.

In a mixed fishery, management based on the MSY of just one of the caught species does not necessarily maintain all caught species at that level. The more species in the catch, the more costly and difficult it is to monitor and manage each one individually. Species in the catch can have different population sizes, breeding rates and some species might be more impacted by fishing than others.

In addition, different species often interact with each other. For example, if one species is the predator or prey of another then harvesting one will probably affect the abundance of the other.

New MSC Fisheries Standard approved

In June 2022, the MSC Board of Trustees approved the new MSC Fisheries Standard (version 3.0).

This decision followed the most comprehensive review of the MSC Fisheries Standard ever undertaken in the 25-year history of the MSC.

Our new Standard includes significant improvements, including better protections for marine life, as well as stronger fisheries management and compliance requirements. These improvements will ensure that MSC certified fisheries continue to be recognised as world leaders in sustainability.

Read our recent Board statement to find out more

Revising our requirements and guidance for mixed fisheries is on an extended timeline until the proposed changes to our requirements under Principle 1 have been confirmed. We will then be able to assess the impact of the changes proposed for mixed fisheries. This page will be updated once the revisions have been confirmed.

Implementing the new Standard

We intend to publish the new MSC Fisheries Standard (version 3.0) from October 2022.
Fisheries seeking certification for the first time will need to adhere to the new Standard from May 2023.

We have introduced a new policy that requires all certificate holders to have completed reassessment to the MSC Fisheries Standard version 3.0 within six years of it being published (October 2028).

Progress so far

Extended timeline for delivering outcomes

Developing our policies

To evaluate the benefit of a modified Standard for mixed fisheries we undertook a global best practice review of science and management practices. We compiled case studies from around the world and listened to experts in an international workshop.

This resulted in a draft index-species Standard. With the support of the Walton Family Foundation we conducted feasibility trials of this in mixed stock demersal (deep sea) fisheries in Indonesia and Mexico. We found that there is a need for a modified Standard that offers an alternative management approach to meeting the stock status outcome requirements in Principle 1 (sustainable fish stocks) of the MSC Fisheries Standard.

Read the report from our global best practice review of science and management practices for mixed fisheries.

We also commissioned a further best practice review of multispecies fisheries, which was published in 2022.

We also worked with stakeholders in the industry and environmental experts to develop requirements and guidance for mixed fisheries. The proposed modifications will provide an assessment framework based on the index-species management approach.

Improving our standard

We want to develop modifications to the Standard for mixed fisheries, and identify whether it would be acceptable to focus assessments on only the highest risk species. Fisheries would still be required to evaluate the risk to all species using a precautionary approach, but not manage each one directly.

How could the standard change?

This review could change the requirements and guidance of the MSC Fisheries Standard related to the harvest strategy component in Principle 1. They will not impact the existing assessment requirements, but instead alternative requirements will be added to be used by Conformity Assessment Bodies when considering a mixed-species fishery.

We do not think it would weaken the Standard because the precautionary approach involved results in lower allowable yields than those produced with full data.

Next steps

We intend to publish the new MSC Fisheries Standard (version 3.0) in October 2022.

Implementation timeframes

Fisheries seeking certification for the first time will need to adhere to the new Standard from May 2023.

We have introduced a new policy that requires all certificate holders to have completed reassessment to the MSC Fisheries Standard version 3.0 within six years of it being published (October 2028).

Certified fisheries will still have at least three years before they are required to begin the transition to the new Standard. This is in compliance with the UN FAO Best Practice Guidelines for Ecolabelling.

Please note, the publication date of version 3.0 (and therefore the effective date, and deadline for recertification) may be subject to change.

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