MSC Certification | Bureau Veritas
Certify your sustainable fishery products
Seafood consumption is increasing worldwide and the depletion of fish stocks continues (overexploited resources, environmental damage, climate change, etc.). In this context, consumers, retailers, restaurants and processors are looking for "sustainable fish and seafood".
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE MSC (MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL)
The MSC is an independent non-profit organisation founded in 1997 with the aim of putting the fish market on a sustainable basis by:
- Preventing the decline of global fish stocks
- Improving the marine environment
- Contribution to ensuring the livelihood of fishermen
The MSC has developed two standards: one for fisheries assessments and one for traceability (chain of custody) in the supply chain. This B2C standard allows the placement of an MSC logo on products that is visible to consumers.
FREQUENT QUESTIONS ABOUT MSC CERTIFICATION
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WHAT IS A FISHING ECO-LABEL?
The FAO * guideline for eco-labelling of fish and fishery products from marine fisheries defines three procedures: Standardization, accreditation and certification are the minimum technical contents of the standard. A fishing eco-label is a B2C certification that is visible to consumers on the final product.
Sustainable seafood products from MSC are labelled with an MSC logo, which indicates that the product originates from a certified MSC fishery. This means that the supply chain from the fishing vessel to the final consumer retailer is certified (chain of custody certification).
* FAO: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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HOW CAN I AS A PROCESSOR OBTAIN A FISHING ECO-LABEL FOR MY PRODUCTS?
To obtain MSC certification, your industry must comply with the MSC Chain of Custody standard of an accredited certification body such as Bureau Veritas to demonstrate that your fish and seafood products come from MSC certified fisheries. The list of certified fisheries is available on the website www.msc.org
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WHAT ARE THE MAIN ADVANTAGES?
The MSC is an objective solution that allows you to define your fisheries product policy. The MSC logo is recognised by consumers in the EU, Japan and the USA and is an important strategy to differentiate your products from those of your competitors. It also increases consumer and stakeholder confidence
Bureau Veritas assists you at every step of the seafood supply chain to ensure that the highest standards are maintained and that quality, health and safety, environmental and social responsibility requirements are met. Large retailers have chosen Bureau Veritas for its expertise in the seafood supply chain, and ship owners and food processing companies benefit from the full range of seafood services.