Will aligning MarinTrust and MSC standards benefit industry?

MarinTrust and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) want to improve mutual understanding of their programs.

They have signed a memo of understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities for aligning standards and achieving mutual recognition.

The hope is this move will streamline processes for stakeholders across the seafood supply chain and cut complexity and costs by minimizing duplication and fostering collaboration.

With aquaculture and the use of fishmeal and fish oils projected to grow, the industry is at a pivotal moment to advance sustainability assurance.

Increasingly, market pressures and ESG regulations demand higher standards, emphasizing the urgency of these efforts, according to the organizations.

Q&A: Exploring the MarinTrust-MSC collaboration

FeedNavigator spoke with Libby Woodhatch, executive chair at MarinTrust, and Camiel Derichs, program development director, MSC, to delve into the benefits and challenges of their partnership.

FEN: What specific benefits do both MarinTrust and MSC anticipate from this MoU in terms of reducing duplication and creating efficiencies for marine ingredient producers?

Derichs: One key benefit is a better understanding of how the certifications interact within the marine ingredients sector. By clarifying how they overlap, differ, and complement each other, we can demonstrate their unique value propositions. Another benefit is reducing complexity for stakeholders through joint process development. This could lead to fewer audits, less administrative burden, and lower associated costs.

Woodhatch: While the MarinTrust Factory Standard certifies marine ingredient production facilities, assessing the species in a fishery is a prerequisite to ensure responsible sourcing of raw materials. Last year, we updated our whole fish fishery assessment as part of the Factory Standard revision, now under Version 3.

The recognition of MSC Fisheries Standard Version 2.01 against MarinTrust’s fishery assessment criteria Version 3 followed a thorough third-party equivalency review. This alignment boosts efficiency and eliminates redundant processes and costs for producers. It also offers marine ingredient producers a streamlined certification process, empowering them to contribute to the global commitment to responsible sourcing and production.

FEN: What steps will MarinTrust and MSC take to ensure that the collaboration delivers tangible cost reductions for the industry without compromising the integrity of their certification processes?

Derichs: Both MarinTrust and MSC adhere to the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice, which set best practices for standard-setting, impact measurement, and stakeholder engagement. Maintaining the integrity of our certification processes is a top priority. Robust assurance, backed by credible third-party certification, is the most effective way for the marine ingredients industry to demonstrate responsible sourcing and high performance.

Woodhatch: Here’s how MarinTrust’s equivalence recognition works:

Automatic Recognition: If raw materials originate from an MSC-certified fishery and fall within MarinTrust’s certification scope with a valid MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate, no additional steps are required.

Verified Recognition: If the fishery lacks a valid MSC CoC certificate, MarinTrust’s approved third-party certification body verifies compliance to ensure MSC claims are not falsely used in a MarinTrust-certified facility.

Independent Assessment: If neither condition is met, the certification body applies MarinTrust’s rigorous fishery or by-product assessment.

FEN: How do the organizations plan to address the challenges posed by key differences in program scopes?

Woodhatch and Derichs: While the scopes and approaches of MarinTrust and MSC differ, they are complementary. The MoU establishes a framework for joint communication to explain these differences to diverse audiences. By working together, we can address shared challenges like illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and improve traceability in the supply chain.

FEN: How might the mutual recognition or alignment of standards impact the broader seafood supply chain, including feed producers and pet food manufacturers?

Woodhatch: MSC and MarinTrust’s Chain of Custody systems can extend traceability to stakeholders like feed producers and pet food manufacturers. Addressing traceability challenges is essential, as is promoting the use and recognition of by-products.

In 2021, MarinTrust introduced its Verification Tool to clarify requirements for fishmeal plants processing MSC-certified materials for MarinTrust recognition. This ensures that fish used in MarinTrust-certified facilities originate from MSC Units of Certification, defined by specific criteria such as species, fishing area, gear type, and client group. Addressing these challenges and opportunities is vital for the entire marine ingredient value chain.

Derichs: With aquaculture and the demand for fishmeal and fish oils expected to grow, the industry faces a critical opportunity to advance sustainability assurance. As markets and ESG regulations set higher expectations, alignment between standards becomes even more important.

FEN: What mechanisms will MarinTrust and MSC use to evaluate the success of this MoU and ensure continuous improvement in their collaborative efforts?

Woodhatch: MarinTrust and MSC meet regularly to discuss recognition procedures and collaborate on educational initiatives. Our shared goal is to improve understanding of our programs, which we will evaluate through ongoing stakeholder engagement. As global standards and ISEAL members, we see many opportunities for further collaboration.

Derichs: A key success indicator is increased engagement in both MarinTrust and MSC programs by marine ingredient producers. Another is the ability of ASC-certified feed producers to meet ASC feed standard criteria, demonstrating the broader impact of our joint efforts.

Rising demand for certified marine ingredients

At the IFFO annual conference in Lisbon this October, Francisco Aldon, CEO of MarinTrust, highlighted the growing demand for certified marine ingredients, fueled by investor interest and regulatory pressures. He warned of challenges like certified materials being diverted to uncertified markets, resulting in lost certification benefits. Aldon emphasized the need for long-term investment in MarinTrust’s Improver Program and greater value chain support, stressing transparency as key to effective communication.

Lindsay Pollock, global sourcing sustainability lead at BioMar, outlined feed producers’ priorities, including feed safety, sustainability, and assurance against IUU sources. She emphasized the need for traceability, due diligence to mitigate risks, and proactive adoption of certifications, even ahead of buyer demand.

Øyvind Ihle, CEO of the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI), discussed his organization’s efforts to align certification schemes with FAO guidelines. Ihle noted certifications' broad benefits, such as risk reduction and operational efficiency, but cautioned that certified marine ingredients are not increasing fast enough to meet market demands. He highlighted regulatory changes like the US FDA’s 2026 traceability requirement for imported farmed fish as a driver for certification adoption.

Lief Hendrikz, EMEA market development manager at the Global Dialogue for Seafood Traceability (GDST), advocated for digital solutions to address fragmented and inefficient supply chain systems, which inflate compliance costs. She explained how GDST standards enhance visibility and address sustainability and ethical concerns.

Andres Daroch of FoodCorp Chile described challenges for fishmeal and fish oil producers, including navigating stringent regulations and securing government validation of standards. He called for standardized audits across certifications and greater inclusivity, noting consumer demand increasingly views certification as essential.