Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international environmental non-profit organization working for marine conservation through the certification of sustainable fisheries and the eco-labelling of seafood products. It works with fisheries, retailers, and other stakeholders to identify, certify, and promote responsible, environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable fishing practices around the world. It operates a certification and eco-label program for assessing and certifying fisheries.

This standard - known as the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing - is the only internationally recognized set of environmental principles to assess whether a fishery is well managed and sustainable. It is based on the best scientific data and the latest knowledge about the marine environment, and was developed in conjunction with relevant stakeholders in a two-year global consultation process. The MSC is witnessing increasing support from retailers, governments, non-governmental organizations, conservationists, and the fishing industry.

Over 200 fisheries around the world are now certified representing over 8% of global wild capture harvest. Over 100 major seafood buyers have pledged to purchase MSC- certified seafood products, including large supermarket chains in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and the US. Today, over 20,000 seafood products bearing the MSC ecolabel (ranging from fresh, frozen, smoked, and canned fish to fish oil dietary supplements) are on sale in 106 countries, and can be traced back to the certified sustainable fisheries. The MSC Developing World Program ensures that fisheries, regardless of size, scale or region, have access to its sustainable seafood certification through Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP). MSC also help fisheries in need to secure grants through regional Investment Funds to finance their certification process.