Fisheries Program Revisions

The MSC Fisheries Standard (Version 3) was published in October 2022 following a four-year review. However, feedback from stakeholders including independent assessors and fishery representatives, highlighted aspects of our Standard and the accompanying Fisheries Standard Toolbox that were unclear and overly complex.

We are developing a package of revisions - now known as the Fisheries Program Revisions - to resolve key concerns and ensure the MSC program continues to drive real and lasting progress towards ending overfishing.

While these revisions are in development, fisheries have been permitted more time to use Version 2.01 of the Standard. Version 2.01 remains a leading measure of fisheries sustainability, as benchmarked by the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative.

How will the Standard change?

Changes are being made to the MSC Fisheries Standard Version 3, Fisheries Certification Process, and the Fisheries Standard Toolbox, which contains key procedures to support fishery assessments.

We anticipate the updated versions will be issued in early 2027 and come into effect six months after publication. 

The changes are being made via two distinct phases:

Amending our requirements in Version 3 to clarify technical issues

• Completed: Version 3.1 of the Standard was published in July 2024. 
  
  Read a summary of the amendments.

Fisheries Program Revisions

• Reviewing the MSC Fisheries Standard Toolbox
  The Toolbox review began in July 2024 and includes an external evaluation of the new Evidence Requirements Framework, and a review of the Risk-based Framework.
• Targeted revisions to the Fisheries Program: The MSC’s intention to revise further areas of the Standard, Fisheries Certification Process, and other program documents was announced in June 2025. This will ensure the Standard can be applied effectively and efficiently, and to resolve issues with accessibility for fisheries. 

Reviewing the MSC Fisheries Standard Toolbox

A public consultation on the proposed Toolbox revisions will be held between 10 July and 10 September 2025. 

The proposals include revisions to the Evidence Requirements Framework, which were developed by an external panel of fisheries assessment experts, and revisions to the Risk-based Framework developed by the MSC.

Consultation on the Toolbox revisions

Stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes through an online consultation survey. 

The survey and supporting materials to explain the proposals will be available on our website from Thursday 10 July.

Targeted revisions to the Fisheries Program

We are also addressing outstanding issues with the Fisheries Standard and Fisheries Certification Process and related program documents.

We first announced our intention to identify areas where additional revisions are needed in June 2024. We are now developing the scope of work to address these areas and ensure our Standard can be effectively applied.

The targeted revisions include the following topics:

• Endangered, Threatened and Protected species and out-of-scope species.
• Reconsidering which fisheries must use Section SE, a section of the Standard designed to better meet the needs of fisheries managed by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations. 
• Fisheries Certification Process (with a focus on improving efficiency). 
• Inseparable or practicably inseparable species.
• Additional changes to the Risk-based Framework.

Before further revisions are launched, we will conduct pilot tests and impact assessments to ensure the proposed changes deliver the intended sustainability outcomes and can be consistently applied.

The revisions to these areas may change the level of performance required to meet our Standard. Our stakeholders and partners will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposals through a consultation. We anticipate this will be held in mid-2026. 

Transitioning to the updated Standard

A revised timeline for transitioning to the updated version of the Standard was confirmed in June 2025.

We will publish an updated version of the Fisheries Standard, Fisheries Standard Toolbox, and Fisheries Certification Process in early 2027. This will incorporate the revisions to the Toolbox and all targeted revisions to the program documents and will conclude the process. All revised documents will come into effect six months after publication. 

This supersedes our original intention to publish the revised Standard in July 2026. The six-month extension will ensure we can incorporate all revisions and test the revised Standard and related documents.

Updated timelines

The deadlines for fisheries to transition to the updated version of the Standard have been amended in line with the new publication dates for the program documents. 

The amended deadlines are as follows:

• Certified fisheries: fisheries with a certificate that expires after 1 March 2030 must use the updated version of the Standard at their next reassessment.
  
• New fisheries: fisheries entering assessment for the first time must use the updated version from its effective date (likely October 2027), which will be six months after its publication.
  
• Improvement Program fisheries:
  • Fisheries joining the Improvement Program after the updated Standard is in effect (likely October 2027), must use the updated version.
    
  • Fisheries already in the Improvement Program must transition their action plans to the updated version by 1 March 2030. This may require triggering the ‘exceptional circumstances’ clause for extending the five-year period allowed for completing action plans by a maximum of three years (if approved by CABs).
    
• Section SE fisheries: can now remain on Version 2.01 until the updated version is in effect (likely October 2027), which will be six months after its publication date. 
  • Fisheries targeting stocks where Section SE has been applied early will have to use the updated version at their full or next reassessment after the effective date.

If you have any questions about the transition timelines and what this means for your fishery, please contact [email protected] or your local MSC representative.