Factory Standard FAQs

Yes - you must be certified under the MarinTrust Factory Standard if you:
•    Operate a factory facility producing marine ingredients (e.g. fishmeal, fish oil, etc) and intend to sell them as MarinTrust certified, and/or
•    Process raw marine materials (whole fish or by-products) destined for MarinTrust certification.

MarinTrust requires certification at the manufacturing stage - the facility is the critical control point to ensure approved raw material is processed correctly.

The MarinTrust certification ensures your facility maintains proper traceability, segregation, and integrity of certified materials throughout production.

The application process includes:

Step 1 – Confirm Eligibility and Prerequisites

To qualify for MarinTrust Factory Standard certification, your facility must:

• Produce marine ingredients such as fishmeal or fish oil.
• Source raw materials that are either:
  • From MarinTrust-approved whole fish fisheries, and/or
  • From MarinTrust approved by-products
• Be legally licensed to operate in the country of registration.

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 Factory Standard application form in English via the MarinTrust portal. 
• Click here to view the Factory Standard roadmap for certification.
• Click here for the factory Standard and IP 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 Factory 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 MarinTrust Factory standard 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.

Average time from application to certification: Approximately 16–24 weeks.

The MSC is a fisheries certification standard which allows a fishery to claim that it is “sustainable” following successfully passing a rigorous process to ensure that the fishery has an effective management based on a full ecosystem approach with specific provisions for the management of low tropic level species. MarinTrust is a factory certification standard which ensures responsible manufacturing and raw material sourcing. For whole fish to be assessed as responsible within the MarinTrust standard, they must either come from an MSC certified fishery or from a fishery that has been assessed and approved by independent third party auditors as meeting the MarinTrust standard. The standard is based on the key requirements of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.

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.

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
• Raw material approval (Conducted in parallel with scheduling of the audit):
  • Up to 3 months for whole fish
  • Up to 1 months for by-products (Low & Medium Risk Index)
  • Up to 2 months for by-products (High Risk Index)
  •  
• Certification decision: Up to 4 weeks after audit report submission and no outstanding non-conformities.

Average time from application to certification: Approximately 16–24 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.

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.

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 Factory Standard 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 MarinTrust Factory Standard certified and follow the programme’s Claims and Logo Use Policy.

“Recognition” is MarinTrust’s process for formally acknowledging when the requirements of another standard or benchmark tool are fully or partially equivalent to specific components of the MarinTrust Programme.

Why it matters

• Helps reduce duplication in audits and assessments
• Lower costs and saves time for applicants and certificate holders
• Speeds up access to certified markets by using trusted equivalencies

What this means for your facility

If your raw material come from a recognised standard, you may:

• Skip or simplify certain raw-material assessments
• Pay lower approval fees
• Reduce audit duration, as some clauses may be accepted based on existing certifications.

Which standards are recognised?

MarinTrust currently recognises the following as equivalent under its Recognition Procedures:

• MSC
• Chilean PAC
• FEMAS
• GMP+

Visit the Recognition of equivalence section of our website via this link. 

If the species is MSC Certified and you have MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) for your facility, this information will be verified (Checked) by MarinTrust and if it matches, the raw material are automatically approved without an assessment and at no cost.  

However, if you do not have an MSC CoC, then an assessment by MarinTrust or MSC verification is required. MSC Fisheries certification by itself is not enough to secure an automatic approval. Nor is just having MSC CoC for non-MSC species. Both types of certification are required to gain automatic approval.  

It’s important to maintain MSC CoC that covers all raw material. If MSC certification is lost, then you shall re-apply for approval via a MarinTrust assessment (scope extension form). 

The MarinTrust Factory Standard provides internationally recognised assurance that your facility processes marine ingredients responsibly and transparently. It confirms that your production adheres to strict criteria for traceability, responsible sourcing, and product integrity throughout the supply chain.

Certification under the MarinTrust Factory Standard ensures that:

• All raw materials used have been approved by MarinTrust (either as whole fish and/or by-products)
• The certified facility has effective controls in place for:
  • Material segregation (certified vs. non-certified)
  • Accurate mass balance and traceability
  • Legal compliance and operational integrity
• The facility is audited annually and must demonstrate continual compliance with the Standard’s criteria

This provides supply chain stakeholders with confidence that certified marine ingredients originate from responsible sources and are handled under verified systems.

Factory Standard 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. 

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 Factory 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 Factory Standard certification, you must complete the recertification process before your current certificate expires. Recertification ensures continued compliance with the MarinTrust Factory 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.

A new application and an initial audit are required to ensure full compliance with the updated Version 3 of the MarinTrust Factory Standard. This marks a reset in the certification cycle under the new version, not a continuation of your previous V2 certification.

Why submit a new application?

• Version 3 introduces updated criteria, risk tools, and reporting expectations.
• The new application form captures essential information aligned with V3 - such as updated raw material sourcing, site details, and processing scope.
• It ensures your Certification Body has a complete and accurate picture of your current operations before auditing begins.

Why is an initial audit needed?

• The changes introduced in V3 - particularly in traceability, social responsibility, and environmental performance - require a comprehensive review, not just a continuation or surveillance of the V2 scope.
• The initial audit confirms your facility meets all baseline requirements under the new version and resets your certification cycle accordingly.
• This is a standard part of transitioning to any major version update and ensures all certificate holders are assessed consistently against the same criteria.

Yes. All by-products are required to be assessed under Version 3.

There is allowance for a by-product sourced from an approved whole fish fishery in your certificate scope to skip the Step 3 part of the by-product assessment.

No, you cannot. Knowing the vessel flag states at the origin of your by-products is a mandatory requirement for proceeding with a a Version 3 assessment.

The vessel flag states is a key data point used to evaluate the risk of Illigal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. It refers to the country in which a fishing vessel is registered and the vessel is required to operate in accordance with that country's laws and regulations.

Why flag state information is important

• MarinTrust uses flag state data to calculate IUU fishing risk levels during by-product assessments.
• Risk thresholds are set based on a defined set of flag state indicators.
• The absence of this information prevents a proper risk assessment and disqualifies the material from approval.

How to obtain vessel flag state information

There are several ways to identify the origin of by-products:

• If your facility owns vessels or sources directly from fishing companies, the flag state is typically the same country as your facility.

If you purchase by-products via suppliers:

• The supplier agreement should indicate the fishery or origin country
• Catch certificates may also contain flag state details
• Some companies have sourcing policies that restrict or define eligible fisheries

In all cases, it is your responsibility to trace the origin of your by-products and provide accurate documentation before the assessment can begin.

No, if there are several stocks of the same species used, you only need to list them once in the application, in this case herring (Clupea harengus). Although the assessment process has changed, stock level assessments are still a part of the assessment. This is part of a step-wise process.

In the first step, species are checked against IUCN and CITES lists to ensure it is not endangered or protected. 

In the second step, only the species and the vessel flag state catching the species are required to be assessed.  

Finally, in the third step, should that vessel flag state be identified as high risk, then the species will be assessed at stock level instead. The process at this stage is effectively the same as the V2 By-Product assessment, i.e. a Category C evaluation.  

To secure more information at this stage, the certification body will contact you and ask for the relevant information to complete the assessment.  

If the species is MSC Certified and you have MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) for your facility, this information will be verified (Checked) by MarinTrust and if it matches, the raw material may be automatically approved without an assessment and at no cost.  

However, if you do not have an MSC CoC, then the raw material will require an assessment either by MarinTrust or a MSC verification required. MSC Fisheries certification by itself is not enough to secure an automatic approval. Nor is just having MSC CoC for non-MSC species. Both types of certification are required to gain automatic approval.  

It’s important to maintain MSC CoC that covers all species. If MSC certification is lost, then you shall re-apply for approval via a MarinTrust assessment (scope extension form). 

To learn more, please visit the MSC verification section of our website via this link. 

No. As part of the facility standard, an auditor will check that all facilities have traceability information for all raw materials.  

For all by-products, this will require: 

As defined in the MarinTrust Standard clauses 2.11.3.1 and 3.3.2.3. 

• Supplier name, address/location
• Permitted activity/legal entity/registered food business operation
• Species (including scientific name), or for mixed by-products containing more than one species, a list/description of species (including scientific name) contained in the mix
• Date of production and/or of dispatch from the supplier  

For all whole fish this will require: 

As defined in the MarinTrust Standard clauses 2.11.2.2 and 3.2.5.  

• Vessel details
• Authorisation for fishing: license/permits as applicable
• Species (including scientific name)
• Catch areas
• Catch date
• Fishing method/gear 

The KDEs required for whole fish are more comprehensive and are tailored to allow traceback to the fishery, whereas By-Product KDEs are more tailored for traceback to the supplier.

Please note that additional requirements will apply if a by-product is identified as Medium Risk. These are not KDE requirements, but involve having supplier agreements in place to verify the absence of IUU fishing. It is a good idea to check your supplier agreements to ensure that these assurances can be found ahead of your V3 audit.

This may involve asking your suppliers for details such as vessel identification and catch areas or other documentation to verify your suppliers product origin. 

While many core requirements remain consistent, Version 3 includes important structural and technical updates that require a full re-assessment by a Certification Body.

What has changed in Version 3?

• The Management and Ecosystem Impacts criteria have been restructured with improved clarity and new sub-clauses, making the updated version materially different from Version 2.
• These refinements affect how compliance is assessed and must be formally reviewed during re-certification.

Why re-certification under V3 is required

• All updates, improvements, and future clarifications to the MarinTrust criteria will be implemented under Version 3 only through formal version controls.
• Version 2 will no longer be updated, meaning fisheries assessed under V2 will miss out on future policy improvements and technical guidance.
   

Once your Version 3 by-product assessment is completed, it will supersede your existing Version 2 assessment.

Because Version 3 introduces updated criteria and risk evaluation methods, the outcome of the assessment may differ from your current V2 approvals. For example, if a species that was previously approved under V2 no longer meets the requirements under V3, it will be immediately removed from your certificate scope.

Key points to be aware of:

• This outcome-based approach is consistent with how by-product assessments worked under V2, where results could change from year to year.
• Your V2-approved by-products will remain valid during the transition period. Their validity will be extended as needed until your V3 assessment is completed.
• At your initial Version 3 facility audit, the Certification Body will audit your by-product scope against all V3 requirements to confirm continued eligibility.