Welcome   Sponsored By
Subscribe | Register | Advertise | Newsletter | About us | Contact us
   


The MSC ecolabel and certification program recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood marke

MSC addresses ongoing impact of Covid-19 with temporary requirements for audits and conditions

Click on the flag for more information about United Kingdom UNITED KINGDOM
Saturday, February 27, 2021, 19:00 (GMT + 9)

The Marine Stewardship Council has announced today it is continuing some of the measures it introduced a year ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support producers and suppliers of certified sustainable seafood while maintaining the integrity of its certification programs.

Temporary requirements introduced last year helped MSC certified businesses maintain credible performance while dealing with unprecedented practical and legal challenges. These changes to the MSC’s requirements (referred to as derogations), did not change the standards the MSC sets for protecting fish stocks and the environment, but provided alternative ways for fishers and suppliers performance to be assessed.

The MSC has extended the use of remote audits until 28 March 2022, but only if it is required because of Covid-19 restrictions or health concerns. The MSC expects independent assessors to resume on-site visits where possible, with extra reviews remaining in place for initial assessments not carried out in person.

Many MSC certified fisheries continue to deliver improvements in their performance. In recognition of the unique challenges posed by Covid-19 restrictions, the time to complete improvements related to actions or decisions by external management agencies will be extended by 12 months. During that time period, fisheries will still need to continue to meet the MSC Fisheries Standard. This does not change the length of any certificates, with fisheries still needing to be reassessed at the scheduled time to stay certified.

Supply chain businesses that need to be audited for the risk of forced or child labour can proceed with an audit through a recognised labour program or complete a detailed self-assessment instead. The MSC is allowing extra time as labour audits usually need to be done in-person. If certificate holders choose self-assessment, they will give the MSC the right to commission an independent labour audit of their sites. Reports will be due at their next annual audit scheduled after the 28 May 2021.

The MSC’s chief science and standards officer, Rohan Currey, said:

“As the world enters a second year of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, we acknowledge the efforts of our fishery and supply chain partners who have continued to operate under difficult circumstances.

“Travel restrictions, temporary business closures and other Covid-19 restrictions are disrupting the work of the seafood industry in many countries. At the same time, the MSC is keen to ensure consumers can continue to trust that MSC certified products are sustainable.

“We are confident that by continuing to work together with partners in responding to the pandemic, we are securing sustainable seafood and thriving oceans for generations to come.”


The new derogations come into effect on 27 March 2021.

Read more about the MSC and its response to the coronavirus pandemic

  The full text of each of the new derogations coming into effect on 27 March 2021 are published here:

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media


 Print


Click to know how to advertise in FIS
MORE NEWS
Spain
Jul 11, 06:00 (GMT + 9):
PERTE Mar-Industria Success: €40 Million Allocated to Boost Sector Investment and Sustainability
Iceland
Jul 11, 06:00 (GMT + 9):
MMC First Process to Deliver Advanced Fish Welfare System for Samherji Fiskeldi's Icelandic 'Salmon Garden'
Kenya
Jul 11, 06:00 (GMT + 9):
Victory Farms Pioneers Sustainable Tilapia Farming in Africa, Joins ASC Improver Programme
Morocco
Jul 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Morocco's Aquaculture Sector Flourishes, Targeting 71,000 Tonnes Annually
Norway
Jul 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
BioMar More Than Doubles Vitamin D Levels in Salmon Diets, Enhancing Fish Health and Consumer Nutritional Value
Argentina
Jul 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Argentina's Fisheries Exports until May 2025: Squid Drives Growth, Shrimp Suffers Drastic Fall
France
Jul 11, 00:10 (GMT + 9):
Norway Dictates Global Salmon Market as Prices Trend Downward in 2025
Chile
Jul 11, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other media | MundoAcuicola: Australis advances its antibiotic-free production and strengthens health monitoring
Spain
Jul 11, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | Industrias Pesqueras: Pesca España raises its voice against illegal fishing during Vigo SeaFest
Norway
Jul 11, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | Fish Focus: Norwegian salmon continues to lead global sushi category
Norway
Jul 11, 00:00 (GMT + 9):
Other Media | fishfarmingexpert: Robot net cleaner maker Remora raises £12m for expansion
Peru
Jul 10, 06:00 (GMT + 9):
IMARPE Debunks Single Jumbo Squid Population Theory in the South Pacific
United States
Jul 10, 05:30 (GMT + 9):
ASMI: 2025 Weekly Alaska Salmon Harvest Update #4
Argentina
Jul 10, 05:00 (GMT + 9):
IN BRIEF - Subarea 12 in Argentina Opens for Commercial Shrimp Fishing
Russian Federation
Jul 10, 02:30 (GMT + 9):
Russian Far East Reports Strong Start to 2025 Salmon Fishing Season



Lenguaje
FEATURED EVENTS
  
TOP STORIES
Norwegian Cod Exports Navigate Quota Cuts with Record-High Prices and Strategic Market Shifts
Norway Despite significant volume drops across categories, Norway's cod industry secures unprecedented values for fresh, frozen, and cured products, buoyed by strong demand and the growing role of farmed cod...
Norwegian Shellfish Exports Shatter Records: King Crab, Snow Crab, and Prawns Drive Unprecedented Growth in First Half of 2025
Norway Surging demand, strategic market shifts, and increased quotas fuel a multi-billion dollar bonanza for Norway's valuable crustaceans. OSLO – Norway's prized shellfish sector has reported an extr...
Galician Fleet Sets Sail for Falklands with Cautious Optimism Amid Loligo Squid Uncertainty
Spain Despite sharp declines in recent seasons and unanswered questions about stock migration, nearly 1,000 crew members embark on a crucial four-month campaign vital to the region's economy. Vigo/Mar&iacu...
IMARPE Debunks Single Jumbo Squid Population Theory in the South Pacific
Peru Peru's Marine Institute (IMARPE) has refuted recent statements suggesting a single jumbo squid population unit in the South Pacific, asserting that no conclusive scientific evidence supports this clai...
 

Umios Corporation | Maruha Nichiro Corporation
Nichirei Corporation - Headquarters
Pesquera El Golfo S.A.
Ventisqueros - Productos del Mar Ventisqueros S.A
Wärtsilä Corporation - Wartsila Group Headquarters
ITOCHU Corporation - Headquarters
BAADER - Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH+Co.KG (Head Office)
Inmarsat plc - Global Headquarters
Marks & Spencer
Tesco PLC (Supermarket) - Headquarters
Sea Harvest Corporation (PTY) Ltd. - Group Headquarters
I&J - Irvin & Johnson Holding Company (Pty) Ltd.
AquaChile S.A. - Group Headquarters
Pesquera San Jose S.A.
Nutreco N.V. - Head Office
CNFC China National Fisheries Corporation - Group Headquarters
W. van der Zwan & Zn. B.V.
SMMI - Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., Ltd. - Headquarters
Icicle Seafoods, Inc
Starkist Seafood Co. - Headquearters
Trident Seafoods Corp.
American Seafoods Group LLC - Head Office
Marel - Group Headquarters
SalMar ASA - Group Headquarters
Sajo Industries Co., Ltd
Hansung Enterprise Co.,Ltd.
BIM - Irish Sea Fisheries Board (An Bord Iascaigh Mhara)
CEFAS - Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science
COPEINCA ASA - Corporacion Pesquera Inca S.A.C.
Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd.
VASEP - Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers
Gomes da Costa
Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
NISSUI - Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. - Group Headquarters
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization - Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (Headquarter)
Hagoromo Foods Co., Ltd.
Koden Electronics Co., Ltd. (Headquarters)
A.P. Møller - Maersk A/S - Headquarters
BVQI - Bureau Veritas Quality International (Head Office)
UPS - United Parcel Service, Inc. - Headquarters
Brim ehf (formerly HB Grandi Ltd) - Headquarters
Hamburg Süd Group - (Headquearters)
Armadora Pereira S.A. - Grupo Pereira Headquarters
Costa Meeresspezialitäten GmbH & Co. KG
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Headquarters)
Mowi ASA (formerly Marine Harvest ASA) - Headquarters
Marubeni Europe Plc -UK-
Findus Ltd
Icom Inc. (Headquarter)
WWF Centroamerica
Oceana Group Limited
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. - Headquarters
Friosur S.A. - Headquarters
Cargill, Incorporated - Global Headquarters
Benihana Inc.
Leardini Pescados Ltda
CJ Corporation  - Group Headquarters
Greenpeace International - The Netherlands | Headquarters
David Suzuki Foundation
Fisheries and Oceans Canada -Communications Branch-
Mitsui & Co.,Ltd - Headquarters
NOREBO Group (former Ocean Trawlers Group)
Natori Co., Ltd.
Carrefour Supermarket - Headquarters
FedEx Corporation - Headquarters
Cooke Aquaculture Inc. - Group Headquarters
AKBM - Aker BioMarine ASA
Seafood Choices Alliance -Headquarter-
Austevoll Seafood ASA
Walmart | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Supermarket) - Headquarters
New Japan Radio Co.Ltd (JRC) -Head Office-
Gulfstream JSC
Marine Stewardship Council - MSC Worldwide Headquarters
Royal Dutch Shell plc (Headquarter)
Genki Sushi Co.,Ltd -Headquarter-
Iceland Pelagic ehf
AXA Assistance Argentina S.A.
Caterpillar Inc. - Headquarters
Tiger Brands Limited
SeaChoice
National Geographic Society
AmazonFresh, LLC - AmazonFresh

Copyright 1995 - 2025 Seafood Media Group Ltd.| All Rights Reserved.   DISCLAIMER