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) 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 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.

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. 

“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:

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
• Programa de Aseguramiento de la Calidad (PAC)
• Good Manufacturing Practise (GMP+)
• Feed Materials Assurance Scheme (FEMAS)
• Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) - (effective from 1st August 2025)

To know the level of recognition for each Standard, visit the Recognition of equivalence section of our website via this link. 

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 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.

Estimated timeline for initial certification:

• Application review by MarinTrust: Up to 10 business days
• Audit scheduling and completion: Typically 3 - 5 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.

If your facility holds MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification and the raw material is MSC certified, the raw material is automatically approved by MarinTrust - no assessment and no additional cost.

If your facility does not hold MSC CoC, approval depends on the type of raw material:

• MSC-certified whole fish: You must undergo an MSC Verification Report process.
• MSC-certified by-products: You must undergo a MarinTrust By-Product Assessment.
• By-catch from MSC-certified fisheries: Contact MarinTrust, as this raw material may be eligible for a reduced whole fish assessment. 

Important: MSC fisheries certification alone is not sufficient. To receive automatic approval under MarinTrust, both the fishery and the facility must be certified (i.e., MSC Fishery + MSC CoC).

If the MSC certification is suspended or withdrawn, the raw material will lose recognition under MarinTrust. In such cases, your facility must submit a request for MarinTrust Whole Fish assessment (via a scope extension form) to restore approval.

For more information on MSC verification, please click here. 

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.  

Yes. All by-products are required to be assessed under Version 3.
However, there is an allowance for a by-product sourced from a MarinTrust approved whole fish fishery that is in the facility’s certificate scope to skip the Step 3 part of the by-product assessment (the by-product is fully evaluated in Step 1 and Step 2).

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  

The KDEs in the Standard 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 Approved source with caution (medium risk in the by-product assessment). 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 MarinTrust audit.
This may involve asking your suppliers for details such as vessel identification and catch areas or other documentation to verify your supplier's product origin. 

No. Knowing the vessel flag states at the origin of your by-products is a mandatory requirement for proceeding with a Version 3 assessment.
The vessel flag states is a key data point used to evaluate the risk of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The flag state is 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.

At a minimum, these records need to go back for at least 3 months. This is required as part of standard compliance for the audit (Clause, 2.4.3).

Flag state is different to the port and coastal states which are defined as:
Port State -  The country where the species used to produce by-products is originally landed
Coastal State – The country in which national waters the species used to produce by-products is originally caught. (This can be an FAO Area if the species is caught in the High-Seas or if you do not have more granular information).

No, if there are several stocks of the same species used, you only need to list them once in the application, for example there are 8 stocks herring (Clupea harengus) evaluated by ICES. 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.  
 

MarinTrust's By-Product Assessment is unique and remains the only certification programme globally that specifically assesses fishery by-products.
Previously, by-products could be automatically approved if:

• The facility held MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification;
• The source fishery was MSC certified; and
• The species appeared on both certificates.

This automatic approval has now been removed for several reasons:

• Limited transparency: These species were not formally assessed by MarinTrust and were not clearly identified on MarinTrust certificates, creating challenges for auditors and buyers.
• Lower assurance: The MSC supply chain was designed to trace certified whole fish, not by-products.
• Updated standards: Current MarinTrust Factory and Chain of Custody Standards require stronger links between raw material sourcing and traceability than earlier versions.
• Consistency: MarinTrust no longer automatically recognises by-products from MarinTrust Approved Whole Fish fisheries. All by-product species must undergo a By-Product Assessment.
• Fairness across certification schemes: Since 2025, MarinTrust has recognised fisheries certified to any GSSI-recognised standard. As GSSI recognition does not cover Chain of Custody certification, automatic approval for MSC-certified by-products would create an uneven system.

What happens now?
All by-product species, whether sourced from MarinTrust Approved Whole Fish fisheries or fisheries certified to a GSSI-recognised standard, must be assessed and will be clearly listed in facility-specific By-Product Assessment reports and MarinTrust certificates.

However, where a fishery has already been certified to a MarinTrust-recognised equivalent fisheries standard, the by-product may receive a reduced risk rating:

• Species normally classified as high risk may be reduced to medium risk.
• Medium-risk species do not require additional traceability requests or a Category C Assessment.

This approach improves transparency, consistency, and assurance while recognising existing fishery certifications.

For the Standard clause 2.11.3.2, the key requirement is that any wild-capture by-products classified as "Approved Source with Caution" (medium IUU risk) must be subject to additional supplier controls and verification.
What the facility must do

1. Have supplier agreements in place

For every supplier providing medium-risk by-products, the facility must maintain a current supplier agreement that:

• Identifies the supplier
• Includes the species supplied
• States that the by-products are not derived from IUU fishing
• Commits the supplier to providing supporting information when requested

2. Obtain supplier assurance

The facility must collect documented assurance from suppliers that the by-products:

• Do not originate from IUU fishing activities
• Are sourced from legal and authorised fisheries
• Are traceable through the supplier's internal controls

This assurance can be included within the supplier agreement, supplier declaration, or equivalent documentation.

3. Verify the assurance
The facility cannot rely solely on supplier statements. It must verify the supplier's claims by reviewing evidence such as:

• Supplier sourcing procedures
• Traceability records
• Supplier due diligence processes
• Catch documentation where available
• Internal supplier audits or assessments
• Evidence showing how the supplier excludes IUU-derived material

For medium-risk materials, verification may need to be more frequent or more detailed than for low-risk materials.

Evidence an auditor will expect
A facility should be able to demonstrate:
Supplier agreements covering all medium-risk by-products
Species lists for each supplier
Signed declarations confirming material is not derived from IUU fishing
Records of supplier verification activities
Review of supplier procedures demonstrating how IUU risk is controlled
Updated supplier risk assessments
Records of additional checks for any material that was previously classified as high risk and later downgraded to medium risk
A clear link between incoming by-products and approved suppliers

Example of conformance
A facility maintains a supplier file for each medium-risk by-product supplier containing:

• Signed supplier agreement with species list
• Annual non-IUU declaration
• Supplier questionnaire describing sourcing controls
• Evidence of traceability procedures
• Records of annual verification reviews
• Updated approved supplier register identifying suppliers as "Approved Source with Caution"
• Documented follow-up and corrective actions where concerns are identified

This would demonstrate not only that assurances have been obtained, but also that the facility has actively verified the supplier's ability to prevent IUU-derived by-products entering the supply chain.

To meet the Step 3 traceability requirements, the applicant must provide sufficient information to identify the source fishery of high-risk by-products. MarinTrust By-Product Assessment Criteria V3.2 provides two alternative assessment paths. 

Path 1: Whole Fish Key Data Elements (KDEs)
This is the preferred route.
The applicant provides the relevant Key Data Elements (KDEs) relating to the whole fish from which the by-products originated. If the assessor receives all required KDEs, traceability is considered sufficient.  
The KDE information allows the assessor to identify:

• Species
• Catch area/fishing area
• Vessel or source fishery information
• Chain of custody between catch and by-product generation

The objective is to demonstrate clear traceability back to the originating fishery. 
If the by-product:

• passes the Category C assessment; and
• provides sufficient KDE traceability information under Path 1,

then it can be downgraded from high risk to ‘Approved Source with Caution’ (medium risk). 

Path 2: Alternative Traceability Information
Where full KDE data is unavailable, the applicant must provide enough information for the assessor to identify:

• the source fishery;
• fishing area (ideally EEZ/coastal state level);
• or at minimum the FAO fishing area;
• and the relevant coastal state(s) associated with the fishery

The assessor then evaluates the source fishery using additional IUU risk indicators (from the IUU Fishing Risk Index), including:

• Coastal State Scores
• Port Scores

The guidance specifically states that applicants should provide the most granular fishing-area information possible. Where only a major FAO area is known, the assessor must evaluate all coastal states within that area and apply the highest-risk score encountered. 

Why MarinTrust asks for this
The guidance explains that traceability information:
"Offers assurance that the source fishery for the by-product under assessment can be identified" and increases visibility into the supply chain, helping identify and avoid potential IUU fishing risks.

In summary
To satisfy Step 3 traceability, the applicant must provide enough documented information to trace the by-product back to its source fishery. The strongest evidence is a complete set of KDEs (Path 1). If full KDEs are not available, the applicant must still provide sufficient fishery location and sourcing information for MarinTrust to undertake the alternative Path 2 risk assessment. 
 

Short answer: Yes. Because Type 1 species on average make up around 95% of the total catch and typically represent the main target species of the fishery, they are the only species formally listed on the MarinTrust certificate. However, the entire catch* associated with those Type 1 species is considered approved raw material.

 Key points explained

• Type 1 species generally account for approximately 95% of the total landed catch volume, making them the most stable and representative indicator of the fishery’s performance. These are called Category A or B species in the fishery assessment report. 
• Other species in the catch - referred to as Type 2 species – are typically more variable in composition and quantity, so they are not individually listed on the certificate. These are called Category C or D species in the fishery assessment report. 
• Even though they are not listed, all species landed together with a Type 1 species are considered eligible raw material under the MarinTrust system.
• The most recent version of the assessment report provides documented evidence that the entire catch* associated with the MarinTrust approved whole fish fishery is eligible for use as approved raw material.

What this means for certificate users
Only Type 1 species (category A or B species) appear on the MarinTrust certificate, but the certificate still covers the whole catch. The MarinTrust whole fish fishery assessment report is the supporting document that demonstrates this eligibility.
You can access the fishery assessment reports on the MarinTrust website

Yes. When a catch includes a Type 1 (Category A or B) species, all species landed together with that Type 1 species are considered eligible raw material for MarinTrust certification.
This means:

• Type 1 species trigger eligibility for the entire landed catch* associated with that fishing operation.
• All species* landed in that same catch — even if they are not individually Type 1 — may be used to produce MarinTrust certified raw material.

Note that within the MarinTrust mass balance system, Type 2 species (category C or D species) have restrictions on their volume allowance in production of certified material within a 12 month period. Please refer to Appendix IV of the MarinTrust Standard V3– Tolerance for composition of raw material batches, for further details.
*It is important to note that in all cases, the raw material cannot be from (Clause 1.1.3 MarinTrust Standard V3):

• a marine mammal, reptile, amphibian or bird, 
• appear in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix 1 or 2, 
• are categorised as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List,
• Or stem from fisheries that use dynamiting, poisoning and other comparable destructive fishing practices. 

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.

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.

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

Common updates include:

• Adding or removing facilities or subcontractors
• Updating company or contact information
• Addition of raw materials for assessment
• Amending product handling

How to submit a scope extension request:

• Log into the MarinTrust online portal
• Select “Company profile" from the top menu
• Scroll down to the section title "Certificates and Acceptance Documents Issued"
• Click "Apply for a change of scope" next to the relevant certificate
• Complete the required information and upload any supporting documents (e.g. updated process flow diagrams, external certifications)

MarinTrust will review your request and, if needed,  send comments or revisions request before approval. Once approved, the request will be submitted to your preferred Certification Body.

Please ensure all information provided is accurate to avoid delays.

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

Need help? Refer to our online guide material for step-by-step support.

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.

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.