Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organisation. We recognise and reward efforts to protect oceans and safeguard seafood supplies for the future.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Professional association
- Industry Type:
- Agriculture - Fisheries
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
About Us
The MSC runs an exciting and ambitious program, working with partners to transform the world's seafood markets and promote sustainable fishing practices.
Our credible standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability seek to increase the availability of certified sustainable seafood and our distinctive blue ecolabel makes it easy for everyone to take part.
Set standards
The MSC has developed standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. Both standards meet the world's toughest best practice guidelines and are helping to transform global seafood markets. Find out more about the MSC standards and our credibility.
Fisheries outreach
We offer fisheries around the world a way to be recognised and rewarded for good management. By working in partnership with sustainable fisheries to create a market for sustainable seafood, other fisheries are incentivised to change their practices. Discover MSC certified sustainable fisheries.
Commercial outreach
The MSC has joined forces with some of the world's leading retailers, brands and seafood businesses to help them meet customer expectations and increase their sustainable seafood offer. Many have placed the MSC at the centre of sustainable seafood policies. Find MSC-labelled seafood.
Raise awareness with consumers
The MSC blue ecolabel gives everyone an easy way to make the best environmental choice when shopping or dining out. Our communications and marketing activities raise awareness of our ecolabel. Try one of our delicious sustainable seafood recipes or use our product finder to find sustainable seafood.
Education
The next generation needs to be encouraged to eat sustainable fish and understand the importance of marine conservation. Through our Fish & Kids project the MSC provides teaching resources on marine issues and our work with school lunch providers promotes sustainable seafood served in schools. Visit our Fish & Kids web site.
Work with developing countries
Half of the world's seafood comes from the developing world and for millions of people fish is a vital source of nutrition. The MSC is encouraging developing world fisheries to take part in our program and enjoy the benefits that certification and ecolabelling can bring. More about the MSC Developing World Fisheries Program.
Vision And Mission
We want future generations to be able to enjoy seafood and oceans full of life, forever.
Our vision is of the world’s oceans teeming with life, and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations.
Our mission is to use our ecolabel and fishery certification program to contribute to the health of the world’s oceans by recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices, influencing the choices people make when buying seafood and working with our partners to transform the seafood market to a sustainable basis.
Our History:
In the early 90s the impact of overfishing on the marine environment and on seafood supplies was of increasing concern to many around the world. This concern was heightened by the collapse of Canada’s Grand Banks cod fishery in 1992 which led to over 35,000 fishers and plant workers from over 400 coastal communities losing their jobs.
In the autumn of 1995, representatives of WWF and Unilever met to discuss what they could do to curb the problem.
The two organisations agreed that a global, market-driven approach could contribute significantly to existing efforts. They envisaged a program for assessing and certifying sustainable fisheries, and labelling products from those fisheries. Such a program would recognise and reward responsible management of seafood resources and drive behaviour change among buyers.
The resulting organisation would need to be independent of both the WWF and Unilever, hence the birth of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). A statement of intent was signed on 26 February, 1996 to announce the launch.
The MSC Standards
When you see seafood with the blue MSC label, you can be sure it comes from a sustainable fishery that has met our Fisheries Standard. Businesses trading in these products have met our Chain of Custody Standard for traceability.
Fisheries and seafood businesses voluntarily seek certification to the relevant MSC Standard. These standards meet international best practice guidelines for certification and ecolabelling and were developed through consultation with the fishing industry, scientists, conservationists, experts and stakeholders.
The MSC Fisheries StandardThe Fisheries Standard measures the sustainability of wild-capture fisheries. The Standard is open to all fisheries, including those from the developing world.
The Chain of Custody Standard ensures that the MSC ecolabel is only displayed on seafood from an MSC certified sustainable fishery.
Third party CertificationTo ensure that certification is credible and robust, assessment to the MSC Standards is carried out by independent, third party assessment bodies.
To ensure that our program remains fit for purpose, the MSC Standards and Certification Requirements are reviewed periodically.Our Governance
Independence, transparency, impartiality and multi-stakeholder consultation are central to the MSC’s values and commitment to continually maintain and strengthen world-leading standards.
We work hard to ensure our standards, strategy and decision-making take account of the views, expertise and experience of a wide range of stakeholders, from academia and government, the fishery and market sectors, and the environmental NGO community.
Our governance structure involves a wide range of stakeholders with different perspectives to ensure that the MSC’s decisions are balanced, reflecting many sectors and interests.
In addition to our governance groups, stakeholders are invited to participate in consultations on our standards and requirements, and are encouraged to participate in independent fisheries assessments.
In addition to our governance bodies, standing and ad hoc working groups may be established by the Board, Technical Advisory Board or Stakeholder Advisory Council to address specific regional or topical issues. Their members come from the MSC Board, Technical Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Council, and may include other independent experts who are invited to advise the MSC.
The Board of Trustees is also supported in its work by a number of Board Committees, which meet throughout the year to reflect in detail on specific areas of the MSC’s activities and operations. Their membership is primarily drawn from the Board of Trustees.
If you are interested in participating in the MSC’s stakeholder consultations, or if you have any questions about our governance structures and processes, please contact the MSC’s governance secretary.
The MSC Board of Trustees is our governing body. With advice from the Technical Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Council, it sets the strategic direction of the MSC, monitors progress and ensures the MSC meets its objectives.
The Board of Trustees meets 4 times a year and has a maximum of 15 members.
Main activities- Ensuring the MSC meets its charitable aims
- Setting the strategic direction of the MSC, and monitoring progress in delivery of strategy
- Ensuring that the MSC is financially secure
- Publicly accounting for expenditure and income
- Ensuring the MSC operates in a legally compliant manner in relevant jurisdictions
- Appointing new Board members and key MSC staff
- Appointing members of the Technical Advisory Board and Stakeholder Advisory Council
The Chair of the Board of Trustees leads the Board and is elected for a term of three-years, and may serve up to three terms. Another trustee may be elected as Vice-Chair.
AppointmentsTrustees are chosen for their knowledge, expertise and support for the MSC. Membership is balanced with representatives from different sectors and geographical regions (as well as other relevant demographic criteria) to reflect the broad mix of stakeholders who have a stake in the MSC's mission.
Potential new Board members are identified by existing members, and following a review process, suitable nominees are approached for interview. Favourable references must be provided, and there must be consensus amongst all Board members on the appointment of a new candidate.
Trustees are nominated by the Board in a personal capacity, not as representatives of their organisations. They serve a maximum three-year term and may stand for reappointment.
The Chair of the Technical Advisory Board and both Co-Chairs of the Stakeholder Advisory Council have a seat on the Board to ensure that these important governance bodies are represented in Board decisions. The Chair of the MSCI Board is also an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees.
The Technical Advisory Board advises the MSC Board of Trustees on technical and scientific matters relating to the MSC Standards, including developing methodologies for certification and accreditation and reviewing the progress of fisheries certifications.
Main activities- Advising the MSC Board on the MSC Standards
- Maintaining documents relating to the MSC Standards
- Developing methodologies for certification and accreditation
- Reviewing the progress of and advising on fisheries certifications.
The Technical Advisory Board is appointed by the Board of Trustees, based on recommendations from the TAB. The Chair has an ex officio seat on the MSC Board of Trustees, so is involved in all Board activity.
AppointmentsThe MSC Board of Trustees appoints new members to the Technical Advisory Board, with the aim of bringing a range of experience, skills and geographical representation. Members are nominated in a personal capacity not as representatives of their organisations. Members serve a 3-year term and may stand for reappointment.
Read the MSC Technical Advisory Board Terms of Reference and Operating Framework
The MSC Stakeholder Advisory CouncilThe MSC Stakeholder Advisory Council (STAC) provides advice to the MSC Board of Trustees and input into the MSC’s review processes. It includes representatives from the seafood industry, conservation community, market sector and academia. Its membership reflects diverse experiences, geographies and interests in relation to the work of the MSC.
The Stakeholder Advisory Council is also a formal channel through which all stakeholders, whether members of the Stakeholder Advisory Council or not, can provide their views to the MSC.
Formal correspondence sent directly to individual Stakeholder Advisory Council members or to the STAC collectively will be forwarded to MSC’s executive (Alene Wilton – MSC’s Corporate Service Director and Company Secretary) and copied to the Stakeholder Advisory Council Co-Chairs. The MSC will respond, as appropriate, in accordance with its public correspondence protocol. The Stakeholder Advisory Council will not enter into direct correspondence.
Main activities- Provides views, advice, recommendations and informed opinions to the MSC Board of Trustees on the MSC Fisheries and Chain of Custody Standards, their implementation and application.
- Provides strategic and tactical advice on other functions of the organisation, including where appropriate, commercial, development, outreach and communications programs.
- Provides advice and views on existing and emerging issues which may affect the ability of the MSC to implement its program and achieve its strategic goals, and to bring new issues that may affect the MSC’s ability to achieve its mission to the MSC for consideration.
- Addresses and gives views on specific matters on which the Board of Trustees requests advice.
- Submits its views to the MSC Board of Trustees, which considers this input when making decisions.
The Stakeholder Advisory Council meets at least once per year.
LeadershipThe Stakeholder Advisory Council has two Co-Chairs, serving 3-year terms. These are arranged so that the Co-Chairs have staggered appointments. Each Co-Chair serves as an ex-officio member of the MSC Board of Trustees.
Appointment and structureAppointments to the Stakeholder Advisory Council are made by the MSC Board of Trustees. Members normally serve three year terms, and may be appointed for up to two terms.
The Council comprises up to seventeen members, six of whom are from the seafood industry (processing or harvest), six of whom are from the conservation community; and two from the market sector. Within this membership, the MSC strives to ensure adequate representation from developing world and small-scale fishery interests. The remaining three seats on the Council are undesignated, and used to ensure a balanced membership in the light of the MSC’s strategic objectives.
Marine Stewardship Council International (MSCI) is a wholly owned trading subsidiary of the MSC. Its Board provides oversight of MSCI’s commercial and marketing activities, which are primarily focused on ecolabel licensing, and supporting public education campaigns and growing awareness and understanding of sustainable seafood and the MSC ecolabel.
Membership includes the Chair of the MSC Board of Trustees and the MSC’s Chief Executive.
The Chair of the MSCI Board is an ex officio member of the Board of Trustees.