{"id":52314,"date":"2025-04-08T11:59:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T01:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/?p=52314"},"modified":"2025-07-17T19:09:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T09:09:52","slug":"msc-chain-of-custody","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/blog\/msc-chain-of-custody\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the MSC Chain of Custody?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"52314\" class=\"elementor elementor-52314\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c7d231 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8c7d231\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0ab547 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b0ab547\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc287e0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cc287e0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit working to end overfishing and safeguard the future of seafood. Their work can be easily recognised by their logo, the Blue Tick. But behind that mark is a rigorous, science-based certification program designed to protect our oceans and the people who depend on them.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8465a65 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8465a65\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27854bd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"27854bd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is the vision of the Marine Stewardship Council?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-105b9b6 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"105b9b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msc.org\/en-au\/about-the-msc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MSC\u2019s vision<\/a> is to ensure that \u201cThe world\u2019s oceans are teeming with life and seafood supplies are safeguarded for this and future generations. To help make that happen, the MSC has developed two certification standards, one for wild fisheries and another for the businesses that handle seafood through the supply chain.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8d69a6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f8d69a6\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff66c41 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff66c41\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fisheries certification<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-102ab02 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"102ab02\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msc.org\/en-au\/what-we-are-doing\/our-collective-impact\/what-is-a-fishery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MSC fisheries<\/a> standard applies only to wild-capture fisheries and it&#8217;s built on three core principles:<\/p><ul><li>The sustainability of the target stock<\/li><li>The environmental impact of the fishing method<\/li><li>The strength and effectiveness of fishery management<\/li><\/ul><p>For a fishery to earn certification, it must demonstrate that its practices support long-term stock health, protect marine ecosystems, and follow transparent, well-managed systems.<\/p><p>Certification isn\u2019t awarded lightly. It\u2019s based on a detailed assessment process involving independent scientific review, consultation with stakeholders and rigorous third-party auditing. MSC Fisheries Certification is one of the most widely recognised sustainability benchmarks for wild-caught seafood globally.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-22680ca e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"22680ca\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-881e217 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"881e217\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Supply Chain Certification (Chain of Custody)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65efa59 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"65efa59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Once a fish leaves the water, it enters the supply chain; that\u2019s where the second layer of certification comes in. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msc.org\/en-au\/for-business\/supply-chain\/chain-of-custody-certification-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chain of Custody<\/a> (CoC) certification is required if a company that takes legal ownership of certified seafood on its journey to the plate wants to sell the product as MSC Certified. This includes processors, exporters, distributors and foodservice suppliers.<\/p><p>According to the MSC, \u201cCertified products must be identifiable, kept separate and traceable.\u201d The CoC system is designed to stop mislabelling and substitution \u2014 and to ensure that if a product carries the blue tick, it can be backed up with documentation at every stage. Chain of Custody certification is required for every legal owner of MSC products. One-step up, one-step down traceability at each link.<\/p><p>CoC is also about protecting trust. When a customer sees a product marked with the Blue Tick, they\u2019re making a choice based on transparency \u2014 and Chain of Custody is what makes that trust possible. The Blue Tick gives consumers confidence that the seafood they\u2019re eating comes from a certified fishery. Chain of Custody is the system that makes that possible.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74f4c2b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"74f4c2b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6dc580 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c6dc580\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">So how does Chain of Custody work?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a584aa2 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a584aa2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Chain of Custody (CoC) system is built around five key steps. Together, they ensure that seafood labelled as certified is exactly that \u2014 from the fishery to the plate. For a product to carry the MSC Blue Tick, each of these checkpoints must be met by every business that handles it along the supply chain.<\/p><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol><li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><ol><li>The seafood must come from a certified fishery.<\/li><li>It must be clearly identifiable at every stage.<\/li><li>It must be kept separate from non-certified product.<\/li><li>Its volumes must be traceable and reconciled.<\/li><li>The business handling it must have auditable internal systems.<\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a7e9244 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a7e9244\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f65546 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0f65546\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Brett Patience, Bidfood\u2019s National Seafood Development Manager, sees these steps in action every day and knows what it takes to meet the standard. \u201cA product has to begin as a certified fish to begin with,\u201d says Patience. \u201cYou can\u2019t get a salmon and somehow transform it into an MSC product by valuing-add to it or processing it. It has to be caught to the MSC standard from day one.\u201d<\/p><p>Once that\u2019s locked in, the next priority is clear labelling. \u201cBidfood adds an extra step that isn\u2019t mandatory; we only accept products as MSC if they have the logo on the box,\u201d he explains. \u201cThat way it\u2019s easily identifiable for our warehouse team and matches the documentation. If it\u2019s not clearly marked, we don\u2019t treat it as certified.\u201d<\/p><p>Separation is critical, too \u2013 not just on paper, but in practice. \u201cEvery touchpoint that handles certified product has to make sure it\u2019s separated from non-certified, in transport, in storage, everywhere,\u201d says Patience. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the audit. If the product isn\u2019t segregated properly, that\u2019s a breach.\u201d<\/p><p>Tracking volume is the next layer. \u201cAt a manufacturing level, every yield has to be accounted for,\u201d he says. \u201cIf 100 tonnes of prawns are certified and somehow 120 tonnes get sold as certified, that\u2019s a red flag. Volume reconciliations are in place to make sure substitution doesn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p><p>Finally, strong internal systems must back it all up. \u201cIf a product doesn\u2019t appear on the invoice as MSC or ASC and we receive it into the system as if it is \u2014 that\u2019s a non-conformance,\u201d he says. \u201cIf that happens more than once, we could temporarily lose our certification until we prove it\u2019s been fixed. That\u2019s how strict it is.\u201d<\/p><p>For Patience, Chain of Custody isn\u2019t just an operational standard \u2014 it\u2019s a safeguard. \u201cIt\u2019s about protecting the customer,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it\u2019s also about protecting the fishery and the broader industry. If someone\u2019s paying for certified seafood, they deserve to know that it\u2019s genuinely what they\u2019re getting.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a5a200b elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a5a200b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-77351bdb\" data-id=\"77351bdb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-306cbd1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"306cbd1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What  <span class=\"fw-semibold\">now<\/span><span class=\"text-green\"><span>?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-2bf02091 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2bf02091\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-212beada\" data-id=\"212beada\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5adc9f49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5adc9f49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Check out our Seafood Guide<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-134df791 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"134df791\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"http:\/\/seacrest-bidfood.com.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Learn more<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-17925ae8\" data-id=\"17925ae8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb8c489 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cb8c489\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Find your local branch<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f464852 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4f464852\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/locations\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Browse locations<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What does it take to earn the MSC blue tick? Behind that little label is a powerful Chain of Custody system that tracks every step\u2014ensuring your seafood is as sustainable and traceable as it claims to be. Here&#8217;s why it matters more than ever.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":52321,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52314"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53829,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52314\/revisions\/53829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bidfood.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}