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Since its creation in 2019, MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund has awarded $8.8million to support over 200 fisheries and projects worldwide, including almost 90 in developing economies.

In 2025, $2.2 million was awarded to support fisheries on their sustainability journey, including research and innovations to safeguard fish stocks and minimise fisheries’ impacts on wildlife.

Pathway to sustainability

Pathway to Sustainability projects are multi-fishery, multi-stakeholder collaborations with governments, scientists, NGOs, and the supply chain that use MSC Fishery Improvement tools as a framework to improve environmental performance.

The program has a special focus on small-scale fisheries in developing economies. These fisheries supply around half of the global wild fish catch and employ over 90% of workers in the sector yet face unique challenges.  

14 Pathways Projects and 30 fisheries across three regions are being supported by the Ocean Stewardship Fund.

Pathway Projects supported in 2024-25

Indonesia

Indonesia is a major fish producer, contributing 8.2% of global catch and supporting about 12 million workers. The country's fisheries face challenges such as data gaps, inconsistent management, and limited tools, threatening sustainability and livelihoods. This project brings together the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), provincial governments, industry leaders, and academia to tackle these issues and improve tuna, octopus, and sardine fisheries management through workshops, research, and co-creating practical solutions.

Kenya

Fishing is vital to Kenya's coastal communities, especially small-scale fishers, traders, processors, and women. However, the sector faces challenges, including illegal fishing, climate change, and habitat destruction. This project focuses on prawns, crabs, lobsters, tuna, and octopus, aiming to improve collaboration among small-scale fishers, NGOs, and agencies like the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) and Kenya Fisheries Service (KeFS) to protect fishers' livelihoods.

China

China produces 85% of the world's bivalves, which support marine biodiversity, improve water quality, and capture carbon. However, overharvesting, habitat loss, and pollution threaten their sustainability. This project will engage regional stakeholders, including local governments and NGOs, to address common threats and promote sustainable practices through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and coordinated environmental actions.



Rewarding long-term sustainability commitments

Rewarding long-term sustainability commitments

Our Recertification Assistance Fund rewards fisheries that have shown a substantial commitment to the MSC program and sustainability.





Project stories

South Africa: Hake fishery supports bird conservation

Indonesia: Tracking anchored FAD use in tuna fisheries

Ocean Stewardship Fund

Ocean Stewardship Fund

Each year, over £1 million in grants are available for fisheries at all stages on their path to sustainability.