The MSC Fisheries Standard is the main sustainability standard developed by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to assess whether fisheries are environmentally sustainable, responsibly managed, and capable of maintaining long-term fish populations and healthy marine ecosystems. Introduced in 1999 and continuously revised since then, the standard is used globally as a benchmark for sustainable wild-capture fisheries. Fisheries certified to the standard are allowed to sell their catch with the blue MSC ecolabel.

The standard is based on internationally recognized fisheries science and management principles, including guidance from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Certification is voluntary and open to fisheries targeting most marine and freshwater species, including fish and shellfish. Fisheries are assessed by accredited independent certification bodies rather than by the MSC itself.

The MSC Fisheries Standard is built around three core principles:

• Sustainable fish stocks, meaning fishing activity must maintain healthy and productive fish populations
• Minimizing environmental impacts, including protection of habitats, ecosystems, and non-target species
• Effective fisheries management, requiring fisheries to comply with laws, adapt to environmental changes, and operate under responsive management systems

Fisheries are scored against detailed sustainability and management requirements. A minimum score of 60 is required for every performance indicator, while fisheries must achieve an average score of at least 80 under each principle to become certified. Fisheries that score below 80 in specific areas may still be certified if they commit to improvements within a defined timeframe.

The standard has evolved substantially to address emerging environmental and operational challenges. Recent revisions introduced stronger protections for endangered, threatened, and protected marine species, stricter shark finning requirements, expanded measures addressing gear loss and ghost fishing, updated habitat protection requirements, and revised risk-based assessment tools for data-limited fisheries. Additional eligibility criteria were also introduced to exclude fisheries linked to serious maritime crime or fraud.

MSC regularly reviews and revises the Fisheries Standard through consultation with scientists, fisheries managers, seafood companies, environmental organizations, certification bodies, and other stakeholders. Current Fisheries Program Revisions are focused on improving consistency, reducing unnecessary complexity, strengthening sustainability outcomes, refining assessment tools, and improving usability for assessors and fisheries. The revisions process includes public consultations, pilot testing, mock assessments, and impact reviews intended to ensure updated requirements remain scientifically credible while also workable in practice.

The Fisheries Standard is supported by a broader certification and assurance framework that includes audit requirements, scoring methodologies, supporting guidance documents, and oversight systems. The standard is intended to drive measurable improvements in fisheries management and ocean protection while using market incentives to reward sustainable fishing practices.

The Fisheries Standard forms the foundation of the MSC certification system. Seafood from certified fisheries can only carry the blue MSC ecolabel if it also passes through companies certified to the MSC Chain of Custody Standard, which ensures traceability and product integrity throughout the supply chain.

For more information, please visit the standard's page on the official website.