MSC
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a London-based international nonprofit founded in 1997 that certifies sustainable wild-capture fisheries, operates the Chain of Custody traceability standard for seafood supply chains, and licenses the MSC blue fish ecolabel to retailers and restaurants across 60+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What MSC does
MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in London, registered as a charity in England and Wales (number 1066806). Its mission is to end overfishing and ensure sustainable seafood supplies for future generations. The organization operates the world's leading wild-capture fisheries certification and ecolabeling program, serving three interconnected customer groups: commercial fisheries seeking certification to access premium markets and demonstrate sustainable practices, supply chain companies (processors, distributors, retailers, restaurants) requiring Chain of Custody certification to use the MSC blue fish label, and end consumers who use the label to identify sustainably sourced wild-caught seafood.
MSC's core technical offering consists of two standards: the MSC Fisheries Standard, a science-based set of criteria evaluating sustainable stocks, environmental impacts, and effective management against three core principles; and the Chain of Custody Standard, which ensures traceability from certified fishery to consumer-facing product and prevents illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) seafood from entering the supply chain. Assessments are conducted by independent third-party conformity assessment bodies (CABs), with mandatory accreditation and annual surveillance audits. The MSC blue fish ecolabel appears on more than 25,000 products in over 60 countries, with over 51,000 Chain of Custody certified sites globally and 590+ fisheries fully certified to the MSC Fisheries Standard. The program meets UN FAO Best Practice Guidelines, ISEAL Code of Good Practice, and is the only global seafood certification recognized by the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI).
MSC operates as a nonprofit funded through fishery certification fees (annual subscription model), label royalties on certified product sales (with 5% directed to the Ocean Stewardship Fund), grants, and partner donations. It runs a sales-led go-to-market targeting fisheries, supply chain companies, retailers, and restaurants, while simultaneously building consumer demand through content marketing, social media (#FeelGoodSeafood), and educational resources. Supporting products include the Track a Fishery public portal, the Ocean Stewardship Fund grant program, and a Science and Research Program focused on climate impacts, socioeconomic outcomes, and fishery simulation. The organization launched its fourth Strategic Plan in 2023 with a goal to engage more than one-third of global marine landings by 2030. Leadership includes CEO Rupert Howes and COO Alene Wilton.
MSC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MSC
- Legal name
- Marine Stewardship Council
- Website
- https://msc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a London-based international nonprofit founded in 1997 that certifies sustainable wild-capture fisheries, operates the Chain of Custody traceability standard for seafood supply chains, and licenses the MSC blue fish ecolabel to retailers and restaurants across 60+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MSC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Seafood Certification
- NAICS
- Shellfish Fishing (114112), Other Marine Fishing (114119)
- SIC
- Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seafood & Aquaculture Certification Services (MSC/ASC/BAP) (AFALAMAL)
Keywords
Where MSC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
MSC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Certification fees: Fisheries and supply chain companies pay for MSC certification assessments and annual audits to become certified
- Label royalties: Companies using the MSC blue fish label pay royalties. Five percent of all royalties from MSC certified product sales go towards supporting sustainable fisheries through the MSC Ocean Stewardship Fund
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Fishery certification |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
MSC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Marine Stewardship Council provides independent, science-based certification of sustainable wild-capture fisheries through the MSC Fisheries Standard, and traceability certification of seafood supply chains through the MSC Chain of Custody Standard. Fisheries, processors, distributors, retailers, and restaurants pay certification fees to obtain MSC certification and license the MSC blue fish ecolabel, which appears on consumer seafood products to signal independently verified sustainable sourcing.
Product overview
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) operates a fishery certification and ecolabeling program for sustainable wild-caught seafood. The core offerings include the MSC Fisheries Standard for assessing fishery sustainability, the MSC Chain of Custody Standard for supply chain traceability, and the MSC blue fish ecolabel for consumer-facing products. Supporting services include the Track a Fishery online portal, the Ocean Stewardship Fund grant program, and science/research initiatives. The program enables fisheries to get certified, supply chain companies to maintain chain of custody certification, and retailers/restaurants to sell MSC labeled products. The system is completed by consumer education resources that promote sustainable seafood choices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MSC Fisheries Standard Science-based set of criteria used to assess whether a wild-capture fishery is sustainable, evaluating three core principles: sustainable stocks, environmental impacts, and effective management. Used by independent third-party conformity assessment bodies to certify commercial fisheries worldwide.
- MSC Chain of Custody Standard Certification standard for supply chain companies that ensures seafood sold with the MSC blue fish label can be traced back to a certified sustainable source, preventing illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) seafood from entering the supply chain.
- MSC Blue Fish Ecolabel The blue fish eco-label appears on certified sustainable wild-caught seafood products, providing consumers assurance that the seafood is sustainably sourced, independently verified, and fully traceable. Licensed to companies through Chain of Custody certification.
- Track a Fishery Online Portal Online portal allowing users to search and track MSC certified fisheries, view assessment reports, certificate details, catch data, and current certification status.
- Ocean Stewardship Fund Grant program offering funding to both MSC certified sustainable fisheries and improving fisheries to support research, technology adoption, and sustainability improvements.
- Science and Research Program Research initiatives focusing on climate change impacts on fish stocks, socioeconomic impacts of MSC certification, fishery simulation tools, and benthic impacts assessment to inform standards development.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35.5% of global fisheries are overfished according to FAO 2025 data
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MSC
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
MSC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
MSC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- U.S. Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS)coreMSC has joined the industry advisory board of SCEMFIS, an organization that identifies and funds marine science research to support sustainable fisheries. As a member, MSC will help SCEMFIS advance its mission of funding research that benefits commercially important U.S. finfish and shellfish fisheries. Many MSC-certified fisheries have maintained their certifications partly due to SCEMFIS-supported research.
- Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI)coreThe SMI, founded by King Charles III, appointed John Kerry as a Champion for the Ocean Stewardship Initiative (OSI), an effort to mobilize private sector support for ocean governance, marine protection, and science-based fisheries management. The OSI is being developed in partnership with Aker BioMarine, Aker QRILL Company, and the Marine Stewardship Council.
- Aker BioMarinecorePartner in the Ocean Stewardship Initiative (OSI) alongside MSC and Aker QRILL Company, working to mobilize private sector support for ocean governance, marine protection, and science-based fisheries management with focus on Antarctic Peninsula Marine Protected Area.
- Aker QRILL CompanycorePartner in the Ocean Stewardship Initiative (OSI) alongside MSC and Aker BioMarine, supporting the initiative to mobilize private sector support for ocean governance and science-based fisheries management.
- DNVcoreDNV commissioned a report by five major container shipping companies (CMA CGM, Evergreen, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, MSC) identifying regulatory harmonization as the critical bottleneck for scaling Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS) technology. The report proposes Rotterdam and Singapore as key LCO2 offloading hubs.
- CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology)minorChinese lithium battery maker with 42 GWh of combined energy-storage orders from the Middle East potentially affected by Strait of Hormuz disruptions to MSC shipping routes.
- BYDminorChinese EV and battery manufacturer with Middle East energy-storage orders potentially affected by shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.
- APM Terminals (Maersk)coreFollowing Panama Supreme Court ruling annulling CK Hutchison's port concessions, APM Terminals and MSC's Terminal Investment Limited (TIL) were assigned to operate Balboa and Cristobal ports during an 18-month transition period.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MSC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC): ASC is the sister organization to MSC, jointly founded by WWF and the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative. Where MSC certifies wild-capture fisheries, ASC certifies responsibly farmed seafood using a parallel third-party assessment and Chain of Custody model — making it the most directly comparable peer in product, business model, and customer base.
- Friend of the Sea: Friend of the Sea is a non-profit certification project that certifies both wild-capture fisheries and aquaculture for sustainability, with a global eco-label appearing on retail products. It directly competes with MSC in wild-capture certification and overlaps on standards (e.g., ISEAL compliance), serving the same fisheries and retailers.
- Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP): BAP is the Global Seafood Alliance's aquaculture certification program covering responsible farming of finfish, shellfish, and crustaceans. It is a direct comparable to MSC in the seafood eco-label space and shares the third-party-audit and Chain-of-Custody structure, though focused on farmed rather than wild-catch seafood.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch: Seafood Watch is one of the most influential consumer-facing seafood sustainability programs in North America, providing color-coded recommendations (green/yellow/red) and partnering with retailers and foodservice operators. While not a third-party certification, it directly competes for retailer and consumer mindshare in the same sustainable-seafood category as MSC.
- Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP): SFP is a nonprofit that engages seafood buyers, suppliers, and fishery improvement projects (FIPs) to reform fishery practices, with many of its improvement pathways feeding MSC's assessment pipeline. It operates in the same wild-capture sustainability space with overlapping customers (retailers, suppliers) but uses a buyer-engagement model rather than certification.
- Earth Island Institute (Dolphin Safe / International Dolphin Conservation Program): Earth Island Institute administers the long-running Dolphin Safe tuna label, a consumer-facing seafood eco-label with third-party chain-of-custody verification. It competes directly with MSC's seafood eco-label for shelf space and consumer trust in the tuna category, with an overlapping brand-driven, certification-style business model.
Broad incumbents
- GlobalG.A.P. GlobalG.A.P. is a broad sustainability certification program covering aquaculture (and other agriculture), widely adopted by global retailers for farm assurance. It overlaps with MSC on aquaculture-side supply chains and shares the third-party-audit model, but is not specialized in wild-capture fisheries.
- Fair Trade USA: Fair Trade USA is a major third-party sustainability certification organization that operates a comparable fee-, audit-, and label-royalty-funded model across multiple commodity categories (with growing seafood programs). It overlaps with MSC in business model, governance structure (nonprofit, standards-based), and supply-chain stakeholder base, but is not specialized in wild-capture fisheries.
Others
- GSSI (Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative): GSSI is the multi-stakeholder benchmark organization for seafood certification schemes; MSC is the only program currently recognized as credible by GSSI. GSSI is not a competitor but an enabler/ecosystem participant that shapes which certifications retailers will accept, directly affecting MSC's competitive position.
- ISEAL Alliance: ISEAL is the global membership association for credible sustainability standards, of which MSC is a full member. ISEAL defines the Code of Good Practice and Codes of Conduct that MSC complies with; it is an ecosystem/standard-setter rather than a competitor, but materially shapes MSC's legitimacy and the bar for any challenger.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MSC social profiles
Digital presenceMSC compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
MSC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MSC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
MSC subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
MSC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MSC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MSC
What does MSC do?
The Marine Stewardship Council provides independent, science-based certification of sustainable wild-capture fisheries through the MSC Fisheries Standard, and traceability certification of seafood supply chains through the MSC Chain of Custody Standard. Fisheries, processors, distributors, retailers, and restaurants pay certification fees to obtain MSC certification and license the MSC blue fish ecolabel, which appears on consumer seafood products to signal independently verified sustainable sourcing.
Is MSC a public or private company?
MSC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was MSC founded?
MSC was founded in 1997. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is MSC based?
MSC is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does MSC make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Certification fees are the primary driver. The others are label royalties.
Who are MSC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Friend of the Sea, Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Earth Island Institute (Dolphin Safe / International Dolphin Conservation Program). Broad incumbents are GlobalG.A.P. and Fair Trade USA. Others are GSSI (Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative) and ISEAL Alliance.
Does MSC have an API?
No public API is recorded for MSC.
What industry is MSC in?
MSC's product category is Sustainable Seafood Certification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAMAL, Seafood & Aquaculture Certification Services (MSC/ASC/BAP). Its NAICS code is 114112 and its SIC code is 900.