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One of the cornerstones of sustainability in Aker BioMarine is our Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which is by far the most comprehensive third-party certification for fisheries and chain of custody sustainability.
We were the first krill harvesting company in the world to get MSC certified and were re-certified for the third time in late 2020, with no conditions and a score that puts us in the top 5% of MSC companies.
How do we know MSC is not just a label?
Around 15% of global fisheries are MSC certified. At Aker BioMarine, we know first-hand what it takes to get a high MSC score. At every audit and re-certification, MSC evaluates everything from the fisheries operations and chain of custody in the value chain, to the fisheries management system and any effect on the ecosystem the fisheries may have. MSC’s goal is to make fisheries as low impact as possible and that they should improve their way of fishing both before and after certification, while MSC maintains a clear philosophy that food production from the ocean is necessary to feed the world.
MSC and the ASC feed standard
The aquaculture feed industry is an example of the difference that MSC can make in a value chain. About 20% of global catches belong to reduction fisheries and are sourced for fish meal. Krill is only a small part of the world’s marine ingredients supplied to feed. Aker BioMarine’s QRILL product is 100% MSC certified and krill is a sustainable choice that will continue to grow in importance in the coming years, helping fish farmers reach the ASC Farm Standards.
ASCs New Feed Standard requires feed mills to meet strict environmental and social requirements, to source ingredients from socially responsible suppliers, and to use environmentally responsible raw materials. At every re-certification, the ASC fish farmers will have to exhibit an increased percentage of sustainably-sourced marine ingredients, and at the final stage, they must display 100% MSC certified marine products. A 3% inclusion of QRILL in the feed can help farmers stay ASC compliant in the interim before the 100% MSC certified material is required.
The blue MSC label is a sign of trust, one that your customers and suppliers can rely on. Aker BioMarine/QRILL is a proud supporter of MSC, because we know that we must do our best to merit the MSC certification, providing a sustainable solution for fish farmers and doing our part to #savetheoceans.