MarinTrust, MSC collaboration will target marine ingredient supply chains

Two global wild-capture fisheries standards holders will be working together to enhance cooperation within the marine ingredient supply chain.

“This collaboration reflects both organizations’ shared commitment to improving fisheries management and addressing the increasing demand for responsible marine ingredients,” said Libby Woodhatch, executive chair at MarinTrust. “This MoU aims to clarify and recognize that both programs are complementary yet different. The complementarity enables efficiencies to be designed and offered to seafood supply chain actors.”

“The core of this MoU is to recognize that both programs share an interest in positioning robust assurance – based on credible third-party certification – as the preferable tool for the marine ingredients industry to demonstrate responsible sourcing,” said Nicolas Guichoux, chief program officer at MSC.

The two groups differ in terms of unit of certification, scope and role in seafood supply chains. MSC’s fisheries certification is available to fisheries, while its chain of custody (CoC) certification is available for other links in the supply chain from vessels and processors to end markets. MarinTrust’s Factory Standard is for marine ingredient production facilities that must demonstrate responsible sourcing, through sourcing raw material (including byproducts) that is MarinTrust approved. Its CoC standard is for marine ingredient processing or storage facilities.

The MSC Fisheries Standard covers target stock health, ecosystem impacts and management, while its CoC standard covers segregation-based traceability. MarinTrust covers responsible sourcing and production, as well as traceability of approved marine ingredients. MSC certification applies to all wild-capture fisheries, while MarinTrust focuses specifically on marine ingredient producers. Either CoC standard can cover processing for feed producers and pet food manufacturers.

@GSA_Advocate