Get certified

Starting from 1 May 2024, all new applications must adhere to Version 3 of the MarinTrust Standard for Responsible Supply of Marine Ingredients (Factory Standard). Current certificate holders have until 1st May 2025 to transition from Version 2 to Version 3 of the standard. To understand the transition better, explore the details here.​ To ensure readiness for your audit, carefully review the relevant standard and supporting documents available for both Version 2 and Version 3. ​ ​

If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact us at
[email protected].

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Factory Standard certification processs

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1. Apply

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Apply online

Our online application process covers new applications and recertifications or scope extension applications for existing certificate holders.​

The MarinTrust secretariat conducts initial approval of the application form.

The Certification Body accepts the application form and contacts the applicant to schedule the audit date.​ ​

All recertification applications must be submitted 6 months before the certificate expiry date.

Any changes or additions to the certificate scope must be submitted at least 3 months before the scheduled audit​.

Confirm whole fish and by-products are approved​

Approved raw materials are a pre-requisite for the audit.

If an assessment of raw materials is required, the Certification Body will complete the assessment within 3 months for whole fish assessments and 1 month for by-products.​

Find a Certification Body​

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2. Get audited

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The Certification Body schedules and completes facility audit​.

Ask the Certification Body to provide a certification timeline.

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3. Close non-conformities

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If any non-conformities are raised during the audit, the facility has up to 21 working days to submit evidence to close non-conformities.

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4. Certification decision

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All certification decisions sit with the certification body and their auditors​.

The certificate is issued to the facility and published on the MarinTrust website.​

A MarinTrust certificate is valid for 3 years, subject to successful annual surveillance audits​.

To maintain certification, the facility must undergo annual surveillance audits​.

All recertification applications must be submitted 6 months before the certificate expiry date​.

Review guidelines for certified sites. This includes the rules for the use of the MarinTrust logo and certification claims.

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Raw material assessment processes

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Whole fish assessment process

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All approved whole fish fisheries can be found here.

  1. If a new whole fish fishery assessment is required, the Certification Body receives the request for assessment​.
  2. The Certification Body completes a desk-based assessment​. Whole fish assessments take up to 3 months to complete.
  3. If required, the Certification Body will contact the facility to seek further information​. Applicants or certificate holders will have up to 30 days to respond and support providing further evidence.
  4. The Certification Body submits a draft report for external peer review via the Fisheries Assessment Peer Review Group​. External peer review is completed within 2 weeks, and peer review report sent to Certification Body. The Certification Body must respond and, if required, amend the report following peer review comments​.
  5. Certification Body then takes the approval decision​
  6. If approved, the Certification Body submits the final report which is published on the MarinTrust website​. 

Whole fish approval is valid for 3 years, subject to successful annual surveillance assessments​.

To maintain approval, annual surveillance assessments are required​.

The Certification Body may request additional information from facilities to support the continuation of approval​.

Following the initial assessment, fishery assessments are completed annually until a request from the certificate holder(s) is made (via the online application process) to remove the whole fish from the scope of their certificate.  

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By-product assessment process

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All approved by-products can be found here​.

  1. ​If a new by-product assessment is required, the Certification Body receives the request for assessment​.
  2. The Certification Body completes a desk-based assessment​. By-product risk assessments take up to 1 month to complete​.
  3. The Certification Body takes the approval decision​.
  4. If approved, the Certification Body submits the final report which is published on the MarinTrust website​

By-product approval is reviewed annually.

The Certification Body may request additional information from facilities to support the continuation of approval​.

Following the initial assessment, by-product assessments are completed annually until a request from the certificate holder(s) is made (via the online application process) to remove the by-product from the scope of their certificate.

 

Costs

The charges for applying to join and remain in the MarinTrust Programme are shown in the table below. All costs are in Pounds Sterling (£). Please note that some MarinTrust fees are charged annually.

The fees below are effective from 1 January 2026.

These fees help us maintain high standards of assurance, drive continuous improvement, and meet the evolving expectations of the sector.

Whole Fish Fisheries Assessments and By-Product Assessments are not one-off charges. Each year, MarinTrust contacts certificate holders to confirm whether they wish to add or remove any species. If no changes are requested, it is assumed that the certificate holder wishes to maintain the same approved raw materials, and the relevant annual assessment activity and associated fees will continue to apply.

For new applicants, once the application has been accepted by the Certification Body, and for certified facilities, any request to add or amend elements within the application or certification scope must be submitted as a scope extension request via the MarinTrust Online Portal. A £100 scope extension fee will apply, in addition to any applicable fees for the additional or amended element(s) requested.

Examples of additional elements may include a subcontractor facility, by-product, or whole fish fishery.

Item2026 (from 1 January)
Company Registration Fees£3,610
Factory Registration Fees£690
Subcontractor Facility Registration Fees£150
Logo/Claim Licensing and Monitoring Fees£360
Scope Extension Fees£100
Recognition of Standards£3,000
By-Product Assessment Fees (Wild Caught)£550
By-Product Fees (Aquaculture)£370
Fishery Verification£1,000
Factory Verification£350
Facility AuditVariable (quoted and payable directly to the Certification Body)
Whole Fish Fisheries Assessments Fees
(Initial and Re-approval)		 
Base Line£8,800
Category A£1,900
Category B£1,900
Category C£650
Category D£650
Whole Fish Fisheries Assessments Fees
(Surveillance)		 
Base Line£3,000
Category A£790
Category B£790
Category C£480
Category D£480

All the above amounts are exclusive of VAT, to the extent that VAT is applicable.

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