Why get your fishery MSC certified?

What is fisheries certification?

MSC certification is a way of showing that a fishery meets international best practice for environmentally sustainable fishing. Fish and seafood from certified fisheries can carry the MSC blue fish label, assuring customers that what they’re buying came from an environmentally sustainable fishery.

To become certified, fisheries are assessed by independent certification bodies, audited annually, and re-certified every five years.

Benefits of MSC certification

Driving sustainability for our oceans

MSC certification is about more than recognizing the sustainability of an individual fishery. By participating in the MSC program, fisheries help drive progress toward healthy oceans and sustainable seafood for the future.

Certified fisheries demonstrate that healthy fish populations, minimizing impacts on the wider marine environment, and effective fisheries management can go hand in hand with productive fisheries and thriving fishing communities.

Third-party recognition for your sustainability efforts

Being MSC certified means meeting the world’s most recognized benchmark for sustainability: the MSC Fisheries Standard.

The MSC Fisheries Standard is based on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) code of conduct for responsible fisheries. The Standard is developed in consultation with a range of people and organizations around the world, including government academics, researchers, the fishing industry, and NGOs. 

By being part of the MSC program, fisheries, retailers, and food processors from around the globe are helping to safeguard seafood supplies. We partner with sustainable fisheries in every ocean, from large-scale industrial to small artisanal operations, to drive the market for sustainable seafood.