Chain of Custody FAQs

You need to be certified under the MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard if you:

• Take legal ownership of marine ingredients intended to be sold as MarinTrust certified, and
• Are involved in the trading, further processing, blending, packaging, refining, or storage of those MarinTrust certified products.

The CoC certification ensures the traceability, integrity, and segregation of MarinTrust-compliant marine ingredients throughout the supply chain.

Certification is required even if you do not physically handle the product (e.g. as a trader)., Legal ownership alone makes you a responsible link in the certified supply chain. Without certification, the chain is broken and the product loses its certified status.

The application process includes:

Step 1 – Confirm Eligibility and Prerequisites

To qualify for MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, your facility must:

• Comply with all applicable requirements of the MarinTrust Chain of Custody Standard;
• Be involved in processing, refining, packaging, blending, storage, or trading of MarinTrust certified marine ingredients.
• Be legally licensed to operate in the country of registration.
• Provide evidence of meeting minimum entry criteria:
  • Food safety: Required only for facilities involved in refining, blending, processing, or packaging for human or animal consumption. GFSI-recognised HACCP for products for human consumption, or GMP certification for feed must be in place. Traders and storage providers are exempt unless they alter the product.
  • Social and environmental accountability: Applies to all applicants and must align with national regulatory requirements.
• Ensure your facility has been operational for at least 6 months prior to audit and maintains verifiable performance records; if not, you must demonstrate that systems and procedures are fully in place and ready for audit.

Step 2 – Submit Online Application

Submit supporting documents including details about your company structure, operational facilities, processes, and any subcontractors involved in the handling of certified products. Please ensure that you follow the instructions carefully and provide accurate information to avoid any delays. Once submitted, MarinTrust will be automatically notified, and your application will be reviewed. If any revisions are necessary, it will be returned to you.

• Complete the Chain of Custody (CoC) application form in English via the MarinTrust portal. 
• Click here to view the CoC roadmap for certification.
• Click here for the CoC application guide.

Step 3 – Payment

After your application is approved, you will need to pay for the MarinTrust administrative fees (paid annually to MarinTrust). Once MarinTrust receives your payment, we will forward your application to your chosen Certification Body (CB).

Step 4 – Undergo an Audit

Your chosen Certification Body (CB) will contact you to schedule your audit. They will assess your facility and systems for compliance with the MarinTrust CoC Standard and may request additional documentation. The CB will also inform you of their audit fees, which are paid annually to them.

Step 5 – Certification Decision

If your audit is successful, you will be issued a Chain of Custody certificate valid for three years. Within 14 days of receiving your certificate, you must submit the signed MarinTrust Licence Agreement. Once approved, a countersigned copy will be returned to you, and you’ll be granted access to the MarinTrust logos for authorised use, in line with the programme’s logo use guidelines.

Your company will also be listed on the MarinTrust website as a certified facility.

Note: Certification is valid for three years and requires annual surveillance audits. Recertification must be completed before your certificate expires to maintain your certified status.

Estimated timeline for initial certification:

• Application review by MarinTrust: Up to 10 business days
• Audit scheduling and completion: Typically 2–4 months, depending on Certification Body (CB) availability
• Certification decision: Up to 4 weeks after audit report submission and no outstanding non-conformities.

Average time from application to certification: Approximately 14–20 weeks

Note: These timeframes are provided for guidance only. Actual durations may vary depending on the completeness of your application, responsiveness to information request, and the availability of your selected Certification Body. We recommend applying well in advance of your preferred audit window.

Fees and costs:

MarinTrust administrative fees (paid annually to MarinTrust)

Audit fees (paid annually to your chosen Certification Body)

Note: Annual fees vary depending on the number of registered facilities and subcontractors. You can find the latest charges on the MarinTrust website.

As a third-party certification programme, MarinTrust does not recommend or endorse specific Certification Bodies (CBs). We encourage you to contact the approved CBs directly to discuss auditor availability, audit timelines and associated costs.

Click here to view contact details for MarinTrust-approved Certification Bodies.

The MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard provides assurance of full traceability for certified marine ingredients. It ensures that products originate from approved raw materials sourced from responsibly managed fisheries and that they are manufactured and delivered as safe and pure. Certified products must be kept fully separated and traceable from start to finish within the supply chain. If ownership is passed to a trader, that trader must also be CoC certified to maintain product integrity and an unbroken chain of custody.

CoC certified facilities are authorised to make claims about their certification status and use the MarinTrust logo. These claims demonstrate compliance with the MarinTrust Programme and commitment to traceability and responsible sourcing. To do so, certified facilities must sign the MarinTrust Licence Agreement and adhere to the Claims Policy.

The applicant shall not use any logo from the MarinTrust programme on any product that contains marine ingredients produced from the MarinTrust Improver Programme fishery. They will only be allowed to use a claim authorised by MarinTrust.

For more information on claims and logo use, please click here.

Companies that produce or handle MarinTrust-compliant material are those that have been assessed and approved under the MarinTrust certification programme. This includes:

MarinTrust certified production facilities (e.g. fishmeal and fish oil producers);

Approved facilities operating under an approved Fishery Improvement Project (FIP);

Chain of Custody certified facilities (e.g. further processors, oil refiners, packers, storage providers and traders).

Note: Only materials originating from these approved sources can be claimed as MarinTrust-compliant within the supply chain.

If you are a trader and wish to sell marine ingredients as MarinTrust certified, you are required to hold Chain of Custody (CoC) certification. This ensures that the product's traceability and certified status are maintained throughout the supply chain.

Even if you do not physically handle the product, taking legal ownership makes you a responsible link in the certified supply chain. Without CoC certification, the chain is broken, and the certified status of the product is lost. Certification also enables you to make legitimate claims and use the MarinTrust logo in line with the programme’s requirements.

No – if your company is not MarinTrust certified, you are not authorised to use the MarinTrust logo or make any certification claims, even if your suppliers are certified.

The right to use the logo is strictly limited to companies that:

• Hold a valid MarinTrust Chain of Custody certificate, and
• Have signed the MarinTrust Licence Agreement.

Why?

Certification ensures that traceability and compliance are maintained throughout the supply chain. Without your own certification, there’s no formal assurance that the certified status of the product is preserved once it enters your control.

To use the logo or make claims, you must first become CoC certified and follow the programme’s Claims and Logo Use Policy.

The MarinTrust Identity Preserve Model (ID Model) is designed for MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) applicants or certificate holders - referred to as sponsors - who wish to subcontract a fishmeal and/or fish oil production facility to produce MarinTrust-certified marine ingredients on their behalf.

Please read the MarinTrust Identity Preserve Model (ID Model) section of the FAQ below to learn more.

If you need to make changes to your MarinTrust certification before your recertification is due, you must submit a scope extension request through the MarinTrust online portal.

Common updates include:

• Adding or removing facilities or subcontractors
• Updating company or contact information
• Amending product handling or processing activities

Note: All updates must be submitted via the portal and will be reviewed by MarinTrust to ensure continued compliance with the Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard.

What to do:

• Log into your account on the MarinTrust online portal
• Select “Apply for a change of scope”
• Complete the required details and upload any supporting documents (e.g. updated process flow diagrams, external certifications)

MarinTrust will review your request, and any necessary comments or revisions will be sent back to you before approval. Once approved, it will be submitted to your chosen Certification Body. Please ensure you follow the instructions carefully and provide accurate information to avoid delays.

Note: Some updates may affect your certification scope and may require additional review or an audit by your Certification Body.

Need help? Refer to our guide to the online form for step-by-step assistance with submitting a scope extension.

To maintain your MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, you must complete the recertification process before your current certificate expires. Recertification ensures continued compliance with the MarinTrust CoC Standard and uninterrupted use of the MarinTrust logo and claims.

When to start: The MarinTrust system automatically triggers the recertification process six months before the certificate expiry date. An email notification will be sent to the primary contact listed in your account.

Steps for recertification:

1. Log into the MarinTrust online portal
   Use the link in your notification email or access the portal directly when your recertification window opens.
    
2. Submit your online application
   Complete the required fields and upload any updated documentation. Once submitted, MarinTrust will review your application for accuracy and completeness.
    
3. Undergo the recertification audit
   Your CB will schedule and carry out the audit to verify ongoing compliance. Additional documentation may be requested during this process.
    
4. Receive certification decision
   If the audit is successful and all requirements are met, your certification will be renewed for another three-year cycle, with annual surveillance audits required.

Note: If your certificate expires before the recertification is completed, you may lose your certified status and will need to restart the certification process from the beginning.

Need help? Refer to our guide to the online form for step-by-step assistance on completing the recertification process through the portal.

You can access the MarinTrust online portal by visiting this link.

In the portal, you can:

• Submit new applications or scope extensions requests
• Track the status of your applications or scope extensions

Note: Only registered users can log in. Be sure to log in using the email address registered with MarinTrust. If you've forgotten your password, use the “Forgot Password?” button on the login page to reset it securely.

If you do not have an account, you can request access to your company profile via "Apply for Access" button on the login page.

What does Clause 2.4 require from certificate holders?
Clause 2.4 of the MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard requires all certificate holders to report their input and finished product quantities to MarinTrust on a quarterly basis. This information must be submitted via the MarinTrust online portal.
Automated email reminders - containing a direct link to the portal - will be sent each quarter to the primary contact registered in the MarinTrust system, according to the schedule below:

• Q1 (January – March): Email sent in April
• Q2 (April – June): Email sent in July
• Q3 (July – September): Email sent in October
• Q4 (October – December): Email sent in January

Note: Quarterly reporting is mandatory for all MarinTrust CoC certificate holders.
 
Why is this data collection necessary?
The purpose of this requirement is to ensure MarinTrust can continuously monitor the flow of certified materials through the supply chain. This helps confirm that the percentage of certified MarinTrust-compliant material sold in the final product is accurate and has not been exceeded between audits.
 
What happens if I fail to submit this information?
Failure to submit the required quarterly data will be treated as a nonconformity under the certification programme. According to MarinTrust Procedure PRO-004 (formerly A4), this could lead to a major nonconformity, which must be resolved before certification can be granted or maintained.
If a certificate holder cannot show compliance or progress toward compliance during surveillance audits, the certificate may be suspended or withdrawn depending on the severity and recurrence of the issue.
 
Reminder: MarinTrust takes data protection seriously. Confidential commercial information will be handled under strict agreements and privacy measure.

The MarinTrust Identity Preserve Model (ID Model) is designed for MarinTrust Chain of Custody (CoC) applicants or certificate holders – referred to as sponsors – who wish to subcontract a fishmeal and/or fish oil production facility to produce MarinTrust-certified marine ingredients on their behalf.

This model is intended for production facilities that:

• Do not hold MarinTrust certification,
• Are unable to apply due to cost or eligibility barriers.

Instead of becoming certified themselves, these facilities are audited against the MarinTrust Factory Standard. If found compliant, they are listed in Appendix 1 of the sponsor’s CoC certificate, but do not receive their own certificate.

Key elements of the ID Model:

• Only CoC applicants or certificate holders may act as sponsors.
• Sponsored production facilities are permitted to operate under this model for the duration of the sponsor’s 3-year certificate cycle.

A production facility:

• May be sponsored for a maximum of two certification cycles in total, and
• Cannot be sponsored by the same CoC facility for more than one cycle unless the facility explicitly agrees to do so.

After the second cycle, the facility must either:

a) Cease producing MarinTrust-compliant material, or
b) Apply for full MarinTrust Factory Standard certification.

The sponsor is responsible for:

• All programme and audit fees,
• Ongoing compliance, and
• Maintaining full traceability throughout the supply chain.

Each sponsored facility may be linked to only one CoC sponsor at a time.

Sponsored facilities cannot make certification claims or use the MarinTrust logo. Only the sponsor may do so, in accordance with the signed Licence Agreement and Claims Policy.

Note: The ID Model is a transitional mechanism. It does not grant certification to the production facility and is not intended for long-term use beyond the permitted two certification cycles.

Please view the guidance page for more information.

Yes. A sponsored production facility under the MarinTrust Identity Preserve Model (ID Model) can transfer to independent certification – either after completing the 3-year certification cycle or earlier if desired.

1. After completing the 3-year cycle

At the end of the 3-year period, the sponsored facility is expected to apply for full MarinTrust Factory Standard certification. To do so:

• The facility must submit a formal application to MarinTrust at least 6 months before the expiry of the current ID Model cycle.
• This application is treated as a new application and undergoes a full audit process.
• Upon successful completion, the facility will be issued its own MarinTrust certificate and will no longer appear on the sponsor’s certificate annex.

2. Before completing the 3-year cycle

A facility can choose to leave the ID Model early in two ways:

a) Immediate transfer

• Notify both the CoC sponsor and MarinTrust at least 6 months before the next surveillance audit.
• Submit a new application for certification.
• Cease participation in the ID Model immediately.
• Undergo a full initial audit as a new applicant.

b) Transition transfer

• Notify the CoC sponsor and MarinTrust 6 months before the next surveillance audit.
• Remain under the ID Model until the next scheduled surveillance.
• Undergo a full initial audit 3 months before the surveillance audit.
• If the audit is successful, the facility will receive its independent certificate and it will be removed from the CoC sponsor’s certificate annex 1 on the same day.

3. If remaining under the ID Model for a second cycle

• A facility may be sponsored for a second 3-year cycle under specific conditions.
• The sponsoring CoC certificate holder must submit formal justification to MarinTrust explaining why the facility is continuing under the ID Model.
• MarinTrust must approve this request before the new cycle begins.
• A production facility cannot be sponsored for more than two full certification cycles, and cannot be sponsored by the same CoC sponsor for both unless it explicitly confirms its willingness to do so in writing.

Note: A facility cannot be sponsored under the ID Model and hold independent certification at the same time.

Want to learn more about the Identity Preserve Model?

Visit the Identity Preserved Model section of our website via this link.