Return to
The MarinTrust Improver Programme benefits the whole supply chain, providing traceability from the improving fishery to the end user, such as feed producers, through an unbroken chain. This is done through the development of a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) by interested marine ingredient producers and stakeholders, followed by a rigorous development process and action plan. Through improvements, such as in fisheries management, factory infrastructure, or operational issues, the aim is to meet the MarinTrust Standard requirements within a maximum of 5 years. The FIP process
Once accepted onto the Improver Programme, applicants have a structured improvement journey for the fishery mapped out with agreed milestones and a timeframe that must be met in order to aim for MarinTrust certification.
The first step in this process is for the interested marine ingredient producers and other interested parties to build the relevant relationships and start developing a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for the fishery in question. This is done by conducting a gap analysis against the MarinTrust Fishery Assessment and identifying specific areas for improvement. It is crucial that local stakeholders including industry, government, relevant NGOs and other interested parties take ownership of this work from the start to ensure longevity of improvements. This is what the Fishery Improvement Project is about. Once the main improvement objectives and an associated action plan for the fishery have been established, including relevant stakeholder responsibilities and commitments, the production factories and interested parties submit an application for the FIP to MarinTrust.
Consultation and confirmation of intent to apply to the programme with MarinTrust prior to any new application is required.
There is then a comprehensive application process and progress monitoring with third-party peer reviews and the independently chaired MarinTrust Improver Programme Application Committee, or IPAC. The IPAC is an objective-based multi-stakeholder group. Its function is to maintain a robust and credible application and review process and ensure that only progressive and committed applicants are accepted onto the programme.
A marine ingredient production factory wishing to use the MarinTrust Improver Programme claim must pass a MarinTrust audit for that facility and be part of an accepted Fishery Improvement Project. Once a factory is accepted onto the MarinTrust Improver Programme, information of the site is listed on the Improver Programme Accepted factory page of the MarinTrust website and it must continue to comply with the MarinTrust audit requirements every year for the duration of the FIP up to a maximum of 5 years.
The MarinTrust Improver Programme is recognised as part of the marine ingredient requirements in leading feed standards such as the BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices), Global GAP and ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council). By helping drive change in fisheries around the world, the MarinTrust Improver Programme is a key step in this direction.
Marine ingredients produced using the Accepted FIP raw material may be sold as a MarinTrust Improver Programme product. This production must be segregated from any certified or non-assessed product at all times in order to maintain a claim.
Responsible sourcing and manufacturing of marine ingredients is vital to keep providing quality feed that will help produce quality food for a growing population, sustainably.
FIP Ratings: SFP's FIP Evaluation Tool serves as a comprehensive framework for defining and evaluating Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) across a six-stage spectrum of accomplishments by integrating time-based benchmarks and assigning a corresponding letter grade A-E to highlight the pace of progress by a FIP on its workplan.
Completed FIPs:
On-going FIPs
Ecuadorian small pelagics – SFP FIP Rating B
Summary
Target for MarinTrust certification by 2025
SFP FIP Rating: 
For more information about the rating visit FishSource
| FIP Accepted: October 2018 |
| End Date: October 2025 |
| FAO Area: 87 |
| Gear Type: Purse seine |
Objectives
- Decision making process on fishery management is transparent, inclusive and participatory
- Fishery data, species, habitats and environmental information is collected, published and publicly available.
- Stock assessments of relevant species to the fishery are conducted on regular bases, following scientific methodology and their results are published and publicly available.
- Conservations and Management Measures (CMMs) are adopted by fishery managers accordingly to the stock assessments outcomes and recommendations.
- Fishery interactions with ETP are registered by concerned fleets and managers adopt CMMs accordingly.
Progress Reports
Who’s involved
FIP Coordinator
Name: Jimmy Anastacio-Solis
Organisation: Cámara Nacional de Pesquería (CNP)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (593) 99 421 8943
IP Accepted Factories: 10 (Acceptance documents)
- Fortidex SA
- Negocios Industriales Real NIRSA SA
- EXU SA
- Productos Pesqueros SA Produpes
- Pesquera Herco SA
- Empresa Pesquera Polar SA
- Dimolfin S.A.
- Rosmei S.A.
- Seimar S.A.
- Ecuafeed S.A.
- URISA S.A
Participants:
Exu SA, Seimar SA, Dimolfin SA, Cargill Ecuador, Riveto SA, Rosmei SA, Inharipac SA, Galdecun SA, Ecuafeed SA, Borsea, Tadel, Multiproyectos S.A., Urisa, Promarvi, Likefish, Skretting, Vitapro, Biomar
Visit the FIP website for more details.
Chain of Custody: No
Application & other supporting documents
NE Atlantic Blue Whiting – SFP FIP Rating D
Summary
Target for MarinTrust certification by 2026
SFP FIP Rating: 
For more information about the rating visit FishSource
| FIP Accepted: October 2021 |
| End Date: October 2026 |
FAO Area: 27 Subareas 1–9, 12, and 14 (Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters) |
| Gear Type: Pelagic trawl & purse seine |
Description
Established in June 2020, NAPA is a market-led approach working to improve North Atlantic pelagic fisheries management. It was formed in response to the continuing dispute over pelagic fishery quota allocations in the North East Atlantic. Over time, this dispute has resulted in annual catches well in excess of the advised level for three commercially important species: North East Atlantic mackerel, Atlanto-scandian (Norwegian Spring Spawning) herring, and North East Atlantic blue whiting.
NAPA aims to drive sustainability in these fisheries by securing an agreement on total allowable catches (TACs) in line with scientific advice, as well as long-term science-based fisheries management strategies. The group intends to tackle these issues through the establishment of a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for mackerel and herring, and a MarinTrust FIP for blue whiting. The FIPs both serve to drive political will while holding key actors and decision-makers to account.
Progress Reports
Application & other supporting documents
Indian Oil Sardine (Goa and Maharashtra) – SFP FIP Rating C
Summary
Target for MarinTrust certification
SFP FIP Rating: 
For more information about the rating visit FishSource
| FIP Accepted: October 2019 |
| End Date: TBC (transition to V3 ongoing) |
Fishing Area: State managed waters of Goa and Maharashtra |
| Gear Type: Purse seine |
Description
M/s Omega Fishmeal & Oil Pvt. Ltd Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India started the “Fishery Improvement Project” (FIP) for Indian oil sardine along the coastal waters of Maharashtra, & Goa in 2017 and are the project coordinator of this FIP. The project’s main focus is to improve fisheries management and governance together with environmental responsibility and transparent traceability of fishery products throughout the supply chain.
This is the first FIP in India that applies to the latest version of MarinTrust Standard, which is an internationally accepted standard designed specifically for marine ingredient producers sourcing from responsible fisheries according to UN FAO requirements. This FIP will ensure the effective management of sardine resources for the development of fisheries for maximum sustainability.
The Fishery Improvement Program (FIP) is a joint effort of the Government agencies and the private parties involved in the fisheries sector. The private fishermen’s associations include Ratnadurga Macchimar Society, Ratnagiri, Adarsh Macchimar Society, Ratnagiri, ,Vasco Fishing Boat Owners Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd, Goa and Zuari Marketing Fisheries Co-operative Society Ltd, Goa, The Govt, agencies involved in the FIP are Directorate of Fisheries, Goa, Department of Fisheries, Ratnagiri, College of Fisheries, Ratnagiri, Central Marine Fisheries research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi, Central Institute of fisheries Technology (CIFT) Kochi, & The Marine Products Export Development Authority, (MPEDA)
The main goals of FIP are:
- Fishery products must come from responsible fisheries sources and can be traceable throughout the supply chain.
- Supply chain must be transparent. Related information shall be clearly communicated among international buyers and all stakeholders.
- The implementation of effective fisheries management that prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing and overfishing as well as the protection of the wider marine ecosystem.
- The development of a credible monitoring and traceability system that reduces IUU fishing and protects those that respect the rules.
Progress Reports
Application & other supporting documents
Mauritanian small pelagics – SFP FIP Rating A
Summary
Target for MarinTrust certification by 2028
SFP FIP Rating: 
For more information about the rating visit FishSource
| FIP Accepted: October 2019 |
| End Date: December 2028 |
FAO Area: 34 |
| Gear Type: Purse seine |
Description
The Mauritania small pelagics FIP has focused on working with scientists to improve data collection on the fishery, landings and stocks, in order to improve our knowledge of stock status and hence enable management to make informed, sustainable decisions. To this end, we have supported data collection on board, at landing sites and in our participating factories. We have also contributed to the fishery management plan, which is in the process of review and revision, emphasising the importance of science and sustainability. In the immediate future, we are planning to continue this work, but also turn our focus towards understanding bycatch and the ecosystem more widely. All our participants and stakeholders are aware that these small pelagic populations, and the ecosystem on which they depend, provide a source of food and livelihood for millions across the region, so we are also working on a social component, to ensure that the impact of our fishery is positive socially as well as environmentally.
Progress reports
Who’s involved
Coordinators
Name: Jo Gascoigne
Organisation: Olvea
Email: [email protected]
Name: Braham Cheikh Baye
Organisation: Institut Mauritanien de Recherches Océanographiques et des Pêches.
Participants: (MOU documents)
- Original MOU document: English, French
- New MOU document 2018
- Participant list
IP Accepted Factories: 2 (Acceptance documents)
Chain of Custody: 1
Application & other supporting documents
Gulf of Thailand Mixed-Trawl (multispecies pilot) – SFP FIP Rating C
Summary
Working towards MarinTrust certification for marine ingredient production sites as part of the Multispecies pilot project
SFP FIP Rating: 
| FIP Accepted: October 2020 |
| End Date: TBC |
Fishing Area: Gulf of Thailand |
| Gear Type: Paired trawl, Otter board trawl & Beam trawl |
Description
The MarinTrust programme in collaboration with South East Asian multispecies fisheries, including the Gulf of Thailand, are developing a fishery assessment method to allow them to demonstrate responsible management. Using the MarinTrust Improver Programme structure, Thai fishmeal producers, government representatives and other stakeholders, are working towards demonstrating responsibility of the Gulf of Thailand mixed-trawl fishery. By testing the developing multispecies fishery assessment against these fisheries, MarinTrust aim to produce an assessment process that can be incorporated into the main MarinTrust Standard and therefore increase accessibility to the programme.
Progress reports
Who's involved
Coordinator
Name: Vorapong Iamtrakul and Komprat Boodsri
Organisation: Thai Sustainable Fisheries Roundtable (TSFR)
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Participants: (MOU documents)
IP Accepted Factories: 4 (Acceptance documents)
- Piyo Bhokabhan Co., Ltd.
- Sirisaengarumpee Co.,Ltd
- Southeast Asian Packaging and Canning Ltd.
- Saengcharoen Wattana Fishery Co., Ltd.
Chain of Custody: No
Application & other supporting documents
Vung Tau trawl, Vietnam (multispecies pilot) – SFP FIP Rating B
Summary
Working towards MarinTrust certification for marine ingredient production sites as part of the Multispecies pilot project
SFP FIP Rating: 
For more information about the rating visit FishSource
| FIP Accepted: February 2022 |
| End Date: TBC |
FAO area: 71 |
| Gear Type: Paired trawl & Otter board trawl |
Description
The MarinTrust programme in collaboration with South East Asian multispecies fisheries, including the Vung Tau fishery in Vietnam, are developing a fishery assessment method to allow them to demonstrate responsible management. Using the MarinTrust Improver Programme structure, fishmeal producers, government representatives and other stakeholders, are working towards demonstrating responsibility of the Vung Tau multispecies fishery. By testing the developing multispecies fishery assessment against these fisheries, MarinTrust aim to produce an assessment process that can be incorporated into the main MarinTrust Standard and therefore increase accessibility to the programme.
Progress Reports
Who’s involved
Coordinator
Name: Thanh Nguyen
Organisation: Kim Delta Vietnam
Email: [email protected]
Participants: (MOU documents)
IP Accepted Factories: 1 (Acceptance documents)
Chain of Custody: No
Application & other supporting documents
Small Pelagic Purse Seine Fisheries, Karnataka State FIP
Summary
Target for MarinTrust certification by 2029
SFP FIP Rating: TBC
| FIP Accepted: March 2024 |
| End Date: March 2029 |
Fishing Area: State managed waters of Karnataka and adjacent national waters |
| Gear Type: Purse seine |
Description
To promote sustainable fisheries in Karnataka State, India, and align with international standards, Yashaswi Marine Ingredients initiated the Small Pelagic Purse Seine Fisheries, Karnataka State Fishery Improvement Project. This initiative aims to enhance fisheries management in the region by bringing together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. Collectively, they are committed to implementing the Fisheries Action Plan (FAP) recognized by MarinTrust, fostering collaborative efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of the fishery resources in Karnataka.
The Small Pelagic Purse Seine Fisheries, Karnataka State FIP was accepted onto the MarinTrust Improver Programme on the condition that:
- The FIP shows commitment to communicating and collaborating with other FIPs in the region operating on shared stocks.
- The FIP provides further details on the supply chain for the fishery (how different species are used) when a clearer picture is known from the stock assessment work or other learnings.
- The FIP provides further information about any legislative restrictions on the use of any of the species in the FIP scope for marine ingredient production in the country or state.
Progress Reports
Who’s involved
Coordinator
Name: Dr. Nimnual Piewthongngam
Organisation: Eurasia Silk Road Company Limited
Email: [email protected]
Participants: (MOU documents)
IP Accepted Factories: 2 (Acceptance documents)
Application & other supporting documents