The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has launched a new venture designed to incentivize fisheries improvement and prepare them for certification.
The MSC Improved Program will accelerate the improvement of fisheries that do not currently meet the conditions of the MSC Fisheries Standard. According to MSC, the program will offer support and incentives to fisheries in exchange for following an independently verified action plan and making measurable improvements over a five-year period.
“The MSC works with hundreds of committed fisheries around the world that are leaders in sustainability,” MSC Head of Fishery Standard Accessibility Amanda Lejbowicz said in a statement. “However, not all fisheries are currently able to meet our Fisheries Standard, despite the growing urgency. This new initiative aims to incentivize fisheries to improve their sustainability practices. In doing so, we support not only the health of the oceans and future seafood supplies but also the livelihoods of the communities that rely on fishing.”
Participants in the program will not be allowed to use the certification body’s blue eco-label on their products, but they will be able to note their participation in the program on the back of the packaging. If they meet performance requirements and the specific conditions for MSC’s Chain of Custody, they can also gain access to the organization’s certified supply chains.
MSC claims its program will complement existing fishery improvement projects (FIPs), providing better verification of FIP progress.
The MSC Improvement Program was informed by a pilot initiative, which helped South Africa’s albacore tuna fishery achieve MSC certification in August 2024.
“The launch of MSC’s new Improvement Program marks a significant milestone for UK fisheries wishing to make improvements to their practices,” MSC UK and Ireland Senior Fisheries Outreach Manager Lisa Bennett said. “It provides a tool to support them towards gaining MSC certification for their landings, and market recognition for their efforts in getting there. We’re looking forward to working with our fishery partners here in the U.K. and using this tool for future Project UK rounds that are in the planning at the moment.”