Although MarinTrust’s unit of certification is the factory, assessing by-product species is an essential prerequisite for the responsible sourcing of raw materials used in marine ingredients. When applying, each company must specify the species that each factory uses so they can be assessed and, if approved, correctly listed in the certificate scope.
By-products that come from the same fishery (species, fishing area, fishing method, etc.) under a MarinTrust approved whole fish assessment are automatically approved.
Transition to Version 3
Beginning May 1st, 2024, new applicants and re-certifications to Version 3 of the MarinTrust Standard will have their by-product species assessed against Version 3 by-product criteria, while currently approved by-products will continue under Version 2 until May 1st, 2025. To read more about the transition to Version 3 out more here.
MSC recognition
MarinTrust recognises the status of MSC certifications and wants to simplify the process for those certificate holders who receive MSC certified raw materials. By-products from these fisheries can be recognised as MarinTrust compliant.
To read more about MSC recognition find out more here.