Working together for healthier lakes, rivers and oceans

Get certified!
Your guide to the ASC-MSC

Seaweed Standard audit process

Get certified! Introduction

2

Contents
Introduction................................................................................... 03

Eligibility........................................................................................ 04
1: ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard..................................................... 06

2: Preparing for your audit................................................................ 10
3: The pre-audit................................................................................ 16

4: The initial audit.............................................................................. 18
5: Maintaining certification............................................................... 22

6: Who’s who..................................................................................... 24
7: Summary checklist....................................................................... 26

Cover image: ©iStock/kerriekerr©MSC Japan

Get certified! Introduction

Become part of acollective effort toensure healthy oceans
and responsible
seaweed production
around the world

Contents

3

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) andMarine Stewardship Council (MSC) are international
non-profit organisations established to safeguard
seafood supplies for the future. They are leaders incertification and labelling programs for environmentally
sustainable and responsibly produced seafood.
Both organisations work to transform the world’s
seafood markets. They have joined forces to createa standard that rewards sustainable and responsible
seaweed production across wild-enhancedaquaculture boundaries.
When consumers or businesses choose to buy
certified sustainable seaweed, they reward farms andwild harvest operations that employ environmentally
sustainable and socially responsible seaweed
harvesting and farming practices.

©MSC Japan

Contents

Get certified! Eligibility

Let’s get started

This guide provides an overview of what you can expect during eachstage of the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard audit process. We hope it will
help to ensure that your seaweed farm or wild harvest operation audit
is efficient and effective, and give you the best possible chance of apositive outcome.
If you have questions at any stage we would be happy
to help. Please contact:
seaweedstandard@msc.org
www.asc-aqua.org/seaweed-standard
Together we can ensure responsible farming and healthy
oceans for the future.

Benefits of certification

Achieving certification to the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard
validates the efforts made by your seaweed operation toensure long term social and environmental sustainability.
Certified seaweed producers have the opportunity tosupply markets where environmental and social credibility
plays an increasingly decisive role in purchasing decisions.

Potential benefits include:• Socially responsible and environmentally
sustainable seaweed production• Reputation enhanced• Livelihoods protected• Access to new markets• Existing markets secured• Promotional opportunities

Who can apply?

The ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard is applicable to all
seaweed operations around the world. All locations andscales of seaweed operations, including both wild harvest
operations and production from at-sea or land-based
aquaculture systems (farms), can apply for certification.

Eligible
All species of seaweed (algae) including:
Both marine and freshwater algae
Both macroalgae and microalgae• Macroalgae i.e. large, multicellular algae easily
observed without a microscope, such as kelp

• Microalgae i.e. microscopic algae,
often unicellular

Introduced species where the first introduction
occurred more than 20 years prior to the initialaudit – continuous introduction is permitted
Introduced species cultured in on-land facilities
that are completely separated from the aquatic
environment
Beach-cast seaweed

Not eligible

Marine plants other than seaweed e.g. seagrass

Together we canensure responsible
farming and healthy
oceans for the future

The use of mutagenic, carcinogenic or
teratogenic pesticides, or any other chemicals
that persist as toxins in the marine environmentor on the farm, or farmed seaweeds.
Companies seeking certification must have been in
operation for at least 12 months, or one harvest cycle,
whichever is less, and must have available records ofperformance data.

4

Get certified! Eligibility

Contents

5©MSC Japan

Get certified! ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard

6

Contents

1

The ASC-MSC
Seaweed Standard
The ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard reflects the most up to dateunderstanding of internationally accepted fisheries and aquaculturescience and best practice management, and has been developedin consultation with academics, scientists, industry experts andconservation groups.
It is the first international seaweed standard, incorporates United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN FAO) guidelines and meetsthe International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling
Alliance (ISEAL) code of good social and environmental practice.

©David Loftus

Contents

Get certified! ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard

7

Certified seaweed operations must be well-managed,
environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.

indicators (PIs) that make up the ASC-MSC
Seaweed Standard.

If you decide to begin the audit process, an accredited
third party conformity assessment body (CAB) will provide
an assessment team to independently score your farm or
wild harvest operation to some or all of the 31 performance

The number of PIs scored depends on the type of seaweed
production system that you use. Your CAB will explain
exactly which of the PIs will be scored for your operation.

Principle 1

Principle 2

Sustainable
wild populations

Environmental
impacts

PI 1.1PI 2.1

Stock status

PI 1.2Harvest strategy

PI 1.3

Genetic impact
on wild stock

Habitat

PI 2.2

Ecosystem structureand function

PI 2.3

ETP species

PI 2.4

Other species

PI 2.5

Waste management
and pollution control

PI 2.6

Principle 3

Effective
management

PI 3.1

Legal and/or
customary framework

P1 3.2

Decision-making
processes

P1 3.3Compliance andenforcement

Principle 4
Socialresponsibility

PI 4.1Child labour

PI 4.2Forced, bonded or
cumpulsory labour

PI 4.3Discrimination

PI 4.4

Health, safety andinsurance

PI 4.5

Fair and decent wages

PI 4.6Pest(s) and disease(s)and management

Freedom of
association andcollective bargaining

PI 2.7

PI 4.7

Energy efficiency

PI 2.8Translocations

PI 2.9Introduction ofalien species
Table 1: List of performance indicators

Disciplinary practices

PI 4.8Working hours

PI 4.9Environmental andsocial training

Principle 5

Community relations
and interaction

PI 5.1

Community impacts

PI 5.2

Conflict resolution

PI 5.3Rights of indigenous
groupsPI 5.4Visability, positioning andorientation of farms or
water-based structures

PI 5.5

Identification
and recovery of
substantial gear

PI 5.6

Noise, light and odour

PI 5.7

Decommissioningof abandoned
production units

Contents

Get certified! ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard

How does the scoring process work?

Your farm or wild harvest operation will be assessed for all
applicable performance indicators (PIs).
For each PI, there are three possible outcomes:Your operation meets global best practiceYour operation meets the acceptable level of practice 				 but requires improvements to reach global best practice		

The acceptable level of practice is not met

Once each PI has been scored, the combined outcomesfor all PIs will determine if certification is awarded.
If your operation meets global best practice for all 				 applicable PIs, certification will be awarded
If your operation meets global best practice for most 				 applicable PIs and some improvements are required, 				 certification will be awarded
If too many PIs require improvements, certification will 				 not be awarded
If any PI does not meet the acceptable level of practice, 				 certification will not be awarded
During the audit process you will have the opportunity tomake changes and improve your operations in order to meet
acceptable levels of practice.

Good to know

For each of the five core principles of the SeaweedStandard only one or two PIs can require improvements.
Depending on the type of production system used by yourseaweed operation, the overall number of PIs that canrequire improvements will vary (to a maximum of 8).

ments for any PI, you will receive one or more ‘conditions’related to that PI.
You will be required to take appropriate action to improve
performance and achieve global best practice within apredetermined timeframe (typically one year).

Action plans for improvement

If improvements are identified, you will need to develop an
action plan outlining:• The conditions that have been set for your farmor wild harvest operation• How they will be addressed• Who will address them
• When they will be addressed• How the action is expected to improve performance• How the assessment team will consider whether the 		
improvements are on track and whether they’vebeen completed

Critical conditions and further opportunities
for improvement

If, during the assessment process, the acceptable level ofpractice is not met for any PI, a ‘critical condition’ will beraised. Following the initial assessment of all PIs, the audit
process will be put on hold to provide an opportunity for
you to address the issues raised.
You will then have 3 months to improve your operations toensure all PIs meet the Seaweed Standard requirements.
In some circumstances, the time allowed for you to make
improvements may be extended to 6 months. Once allissues have been addressed, the audit process
will continue.

Improvements

If your farm or wild harvest operation requires improve-

Category

Production location and type

Linkages to wild stocks

A

Harvest of natural populations

Wild stocks harvested

Bi

Cultivation at sea (including production
systems which require some stages
cultivated in land-based hatcheries
followed by grow-out at sea)

Seed supplied from wild stocks

Bii
Ci
Cii

Cultivation entirely in land-based systems

Table 2: Seaweed production categories

8

Supply of seed from wild stocks
NOT required or negligible
Seed supplied from wild stocks
Supply of seed from wild stocks
NOT required or negligible

Contents

Get certified! ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard

Seaweed production categories

Depending on the location and type of seaweed production(i.e. harvest of natural population, cultivation at sea,cultivation entirely in land-based systems) your operations
may not need to be scored against certain PIs.
For example, a land-based aquaculture system that does
not depend on wild stocks or seeds (category Cii) would
not be assessed against the PIs related to stock status(1.1) and their management (1.2).
The independent third party conformity assessment
body (CAB) will determine the category of your seaweed
operation using Table 2 and explain which PIs will need
to be scored.

9Good to know

• Social requirements (covered in principles 4 and 5) 		
will always be audited for both farms and wild harvest 		
operations. This part of the audit will be carried out by a 		qualified social assessor. Interviews with farm workers 		
and others are a key part of the social audit in addition 		to team observations and documentary evidence.
• The method by which some social requirements are 		scored is modified for small family businesses.
• The cumulative impact of other ASC-MSC certified 		
seaweed farms or wild harvest operations will need tobe considered (where these exist).

©ASCGet certified! Preparing for your audit

Contents

102

Preparing for the audit process
Preparation and good project management are
key to ensuring a smooth, timely and cost-effective
assessment. Many farms and wild harvest operations
have found it useful to designate a member of staff orhire a project manager to monitor the audit process
and act as a point of contact to the assessment team.

©MSC Japan

Contents

Get certified! Preparing for your audit

ASC and MSC developed the Seaweed Standard to which
farms and wild harvest operations are assessed. To maintain the highest level of impartiality and minimise conflict ofinterest, audits are carried out by a third party auditor: an
accredited third party conformity assessment body (CAB)
which employs a team of experts (the assessment team)
to independently score the seaweed farm or wild harvest
operation.

Choosing a conformity assessment body (CAB)

The role of the conformity assessment body (CAB) is toprovide an independent, third party audit of your farm or wild
harvest operation against the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard.
The CAB has a responsibility to consult with you and otherstakeholders in an impartial way in order to determine if you
meet the Standard. They are not obliged to conduct new
research, but use the existing evidence to reach a judgment.
A lack of data or documentation will result in higher uncertainty about the performance of a farm or wild harvest operation.
This may result in lower scores and can increase the cost ofaudits.
To get the most out of the audit process, we recommend thatyou take the time to look into different CABs andchoose the one that offers you the best service.
CABs must be accredited by Accreditation Services
International (ASI) to conduct assessments to the
ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard. ASI monitors CABs to

ensure that they are complying with ASC and MSC
requirements. A list of accredited CABs can befound on the ASI website.

We recommend that you:• Get quotes from two or more CABs
• Ensure they have a good knowledge and understandingof your farm or wild harvest operation or of other similar
operations• Check that they can perform both environmental andsocial audits• Interview them
• Check their availability suits your timescales and thatthe timings they have suggested seem feasible given
the complexity of your operation, the timing of any
seasonal part of the operation that they may wish toobserve, and the stakeholders involved• Commission a pre-audit (see page 16)• Ask them to provide testimonials from recent clients

Defining the contract

Once you have chosen a CAB, you will need to sign acontract with them for the duration of the audit process.

Find out more:

A full list of accredited conformity assessment bodies
is available at: www.accreditation-services.com/archives/certification_bodies

Notes

We recommend thatyou take the time tolook into different
CABs and choose theone that offers you thebest service

11

Contents

Get certified! Preparing for your audit

Deciding on the Unit of Assessment

At the very beginning of the audit process, you should
provide your CAB with the information necessary to
determine the Unit of Assessment (UoA). The UoA
defines what is being audited during the certification
process and includes:

12

Which label?

Products from different seaweed production
categories will carry different labels.

Wild harvest (Category A) – MSC ecolabel

Any at-sea orland-based
facilities
The person(s),entity or entities
harvesting and/or
culturing the target
stock or species

Targetspecies

Farmed (Categories Bii and Cii) – ASC label

Unit ofAsessment
Production
systemReceivingwater body
Stock region(applicable tocategories A,
Bi and Ci)

Enhanced (Categories Bi & Ci) or Mixed source – MSC ecolabel
and ASC logo (must be used together)

Good to know

Certified sustainable seaweed may also be used for beauty
products or other commodities that do not carry an ecolabel.

Do you need a Chain of Custody certificate?

Good to know

The Unit of Certification (UoC) is the unit entitled toreceive an ASC or MSC certificate if the audit issuccessful. The UoC includes the UoA plus other clientgroup members, such as NGOs or seaweed processors,
who are contributing to the cost of the assessment but are
not part of the management of the actual farm or
wild harvest operation.

To meet the traceability requirement of the MSC Chainof Custody Standard, your farm or wild harvest operation
will need to have systems in place to show that certified
seaweed and seaweed products are segregated fromany non-certified products. Certified seaweed must be
correctly identified and traceable back to your farm or
wild harvest operation.

The MSC Chain of Custody Standard gives assurance that
seaweed products bearing the ASC and/or MSC ecolabel
come from a sustainable and socially responsible source
which is certified to the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard.

In some cases, the assessment team may determine thatyour farm or wild harvest operation and/or other client groupmembers (e.g. the processor) need to have their own Chainof Custody certification. For example, when certified andnon-certified seaweed is cultured in the same farm andthere is therefore a risk of possible mixing or substitution.
A separate Chain of Custody certification may berecommended to ensure independent evaluation of the entire
traceability system from the very beginning of the chain.

Certification of the entire supply chain is necessary forseaweed from your farm or wild harvest operation to be
sold as “ASC and/or MSC certified” and for the MSC and/or
ASC ecolabel to be used on packs or menus.

It’s worth thinking about the identification, segregation andtraceability systems and subcontractors your seaweedfarm or wild harvest operation has in place early on in theaudit process so you can make adjustments as necessary.

MSC Chain of Custody certification andseaweed traceability

Get certified! Preparing for your audit

Contents

13©iStock/MarcoAMazza

Get certified! Preparing for your audit

Contents

14©iStock/Fudio

Contents

Get certified! Preparing for your audit

Preparing the information

An audit of a farm or wild harvest operation is based on
expert analysis of information. This information can takemany forms, including:• Data on seaweed stocks• Information on social regulations e.g. health and safety• Internal records and procedures• Interviews with stakeholders• Scientific papers and reports• The Client Audit Checklist (see page 26)
Without this information, the assessment team will not beable to audit your farm or wild harvest operation.

What about seaweed producers withlimited data?

Your farm or wild harvest operation may not have accessto the detailed scientific data that is needed for an audit.
This is particularly true for small scale and developingworld producers.
If data are limited, the assessment team can use the
MSC’s Risk-Based Framework or request the use of analternative risk-based method via an official variation
request to ASC-MSC.
The risk-based approach employs a more precautionary
approach to assessing the sustainability of the stock.

15

Engaging with your stakeholders

The ASC and MSC welcome the input and involvement of
stakeholders throughout the audit process to ensure thatassessments are fair, credible and robust.
We recommend that you contact relevant stakeholders at
the very beginning of the audit process to build trust andunderstanding and help your audit go smoothly.

Costs and sources of funding

Certification is paid for by the farm or wild harvest
operation. The ASC and MSC do not receive payment,
only the conformity assessment body (CAB) you havechosen to carry out audits.
The cost of assessment against the ASC-MSC SeaweedStandard will depend on:• The complexity of your farm or wild harvest operation• Production location or type• The availability of information• The level of stakeholder involvement
There are a range of funding sources and opportunities toassist certification. Your regional ASC or MSC office will
be able to provide you with up to date advice on relevant
funding options in your region.

For small family businesses, the method by which somesocial requirements are scored is also modified. For
example, using conversations with the family instead ofwritten records.

Find out more:

We recommend thatyou engage with
relevant stakeholders
at the start of theprocess to build trust
and understanding,and help your audit
go smoothly

Contact: seaweedstandard@msc.org• For more about the Risk-Based Framework see
www.msc.org/about-us/standards/fisheries-standard/
msc-risk-based-framework• For more information about the Seaweed Standard
and assessment process see
www.asc-aqua.org/seaweed-standard• For more information on how stakeholders can get
involved in the assessment process see
www.msc.org/track-a-fishery/have-your-say• For more on the Chain of Custody Standard see
www.msc.org/get-certified/supply-chain

Get certified! The pre-audit

Contents

16

3

The optional pre-audit
A pre-audit is an optional preliminary review to informwhether your farm or wild harvest operation is ready toenter the full audit process.

©ASCContents

Get certified! The pre-audit

Pre-audits are much quicker and cheaper than the fullinitial audit process. However, they do not have the rigour
and robustness of the full audit.
Seaweed producers may undertake pre-audits themselves,or use CABs, independent consultants or other qualified
auditors or organisations.
During a pre-audit, the CAB will advise on which PIs
apply to your operation and if there are PIs for which the
cumulative impact of other ASC-MSC certified seaweedfarms or wild harvest operations will be considered.
The CAB will identify the strengths and weaknesses ofyour farm or wild harvest operation in relation to some or
all of the 31 PIs and allocate an approximate score foreach applicable PI.
These results will be used to determine the likelihood ofyour farm or wild harvest operation meeting the ASC-MSC
Seaweed Standard.
At the end of the pre-audit, the CAB will present you witha pre-audit report which identifies any obstacles thatneed to be addressed before your wild harvest operation
undergoes the full audit process.

The CAB will
identify strengths
and weaknesses inrelation to the 31
PIs and allocate
approximate scores

Good to know

You are under no obligation to use the same CAB
for pre-audit, initial audit and/or post certification
surveillance and auditing. However, there may betime and cost savings associated with doing so.

The pre-audit report is confidential between you and the
CAB, however if you proceed to initial audit the CAB isrequired to give ASC and MSC a copy of any pre-audit
report(s). It is your own decision whether to proceed to
the full audit.

The pre-audit will consist of:
•
•
•
•
•

A meeting between you and the CAB
A site visit (this is optional)
A review of available data
Identification of any stakeholder issues or interests
A pre-audit report outlining the extent to which yourfarm or wild harvest operation meets the
ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard• A description of potential obstacles that will need 		to be addressed before your farm or wild harvest 		
operation meets the requirements of the Standard©MSC/Steve Rocliffe

17Get certified! Introduction
The initial audit

Contents
Contents

18

4

The initial audit
The initial audit is the detailed, public, rigorous processthat your conformity assessment body (CAB) will follow
to determine if your farm or wild harvest operation
meets the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard.

©MSC/Steve Rocliffe

Contents

Get certified! The initial audit

The process starts when you sign a contract with your CAB
and they notify the ASC and MSC that your farm or wild
harvest operation is beginning the initial audit process.

Overview of the full
assessment process

1
Step

2
Step

3
Step

4
Step

5

Preparation
for initial audit

Announcementof initial audit

Information
gathering, site
visit and scoring

Opportunity for
improvements

6
Step

7
Step

8
Step

Good to know

The period from the announcement of the initial audit to
the receipt of the Final Report should be no more than 12
months. The length of the assessment depends to someextent on your preparation as well as the nature andcomplexity of your farm or wild harvest operation.

1

Preparation for initial audit

Before the audit is announced, you will receive thefollowing information, in writing, from your conformity
assessment body:• Expected scope of audit• Any Chain of Custody certification requirements• Draft work schedule and proposed team members• An explanation of the audit process and the processof stakeholder consultation• A Client Application Checklist, including a list of all 		
performance data that will be required by the CAB
prior to the audit.
This checklist will help ensure that all relevant informationis ready and that your wild harvest operation or farm isfully prepared to proceed with the audit. You must fillout the Client Application Checklist and submit it to yourassessment team in advance of the initial audit.

2

Announcement of initial audit

Step

Client Draft Report

Public Comment
Draft Report

Final Report anddetermination
Public Certification
Report. If all
requirements are met,
certification is granted!

19• The CAB announces that the farm or wild harvest 		
operation is undergoing an initial audit using the Audit 		
Announcement Template.
• The announcement is made 30 days prior to the site visit,
and the CAB must notify potential stakeholders and invite
their participation.
• The ASC and MSC are alerted, and the announcement 		
is posted on the ASC-MSC website and circulated
to stakeholders.
• You may wish to identify key spokespeople and some 		high-resolution photographs of the farm or wild harvest 		
operation in preparation for media interest.

Good to know

Contact the MSC or ASC to discuss how you
communicate your decision to enter assessment
in addition to the formal announcement.

Contents

Get certified! The initial audit

20

3
Information gathering, site visit and scoring• The assessment team will analyse all relevant information
including technical papers, reports and data about your 		farm or wild harvest operation, as well as the information 		you submitted in the Client Application Checklist.
• They will then arrange a site visit to interview you, the 		farm or wild harvest operation managers, employees andany participating stakeholders to ensure they are aware 		of all potential information and issues – this could include
both production sites and management locations.
• The social auditor will interview 15% of the employees 		
(up to 40 people) to evaluate principles 4 and 5.
• The assessment team use this evidence to score the 		farm or wild harvest operation’s performance against 		some or all of the 31 principal indicators of the ASC-MSC
Seaweed Standard.

Good to know

You can help the assessment team by organisinginformation in accordance with the structure of theperformance indicators (see Table 1).

4

Opportunity for improvements

If your farm or wild harvest operation fails to meet theacceptable level of practice for any of the applicable
performance indicators (PIs), a critical condition will
be raised.
If this happens, you will not automatically fail the entire
audit process. Instead, you will be given an opportunity to
improve your practices.
Any critical conditions will be communicated to you by
your conformity assessment body and you will have
3 months to improve so that all operations reach an
acceptable level of practice. In some circumstances,where meeting a condition is outside the client’s control,
this can be extended to 6 months.
The audit process will continue once operations are
improved and the critical conditions are closed. If operations
are not improved, certification will not be granted.

5Client Draft Report

The CAB compiles a draft report summarising:• Your farm or wild harvest operation’s performance 		against the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard• The proposed certification outcome• Details of any conditions aimed at improving your farmor wild harvest operation’s performance

You will have the opportunity to comment on the Client
Draft Report and to create client action plans showing how
you will address any conditions
This stage is a crucial opportunity to address any issues
that would prevent the certification of your seaweed
production operation.

Good to know

It is important that you feel confident that the draft reportprovides a true and robust audit of your farm or wild
harvest operation and that you have a good understandingof the reasons for any conditions given.

6

Public Comment Draft Report• Once you have completed a review of the draft report, 		
the CAB will issue the ‘Public Comment Draft Report’ 		(PCDR) to the ASC and MSC to be published online.
• The CAB will notify stakeholders once the PCDR
is published.
• Stakeholders and members of the public have 30 days
to comment on the draft report.
• At the same time, technical experts will review the 		
report as part of the ASC-MSC quality assurance system.
• This report includes a draft determination of whether 		
your farm or wild harvest operation is recommended
for certification.
We advise that you review the report and make sure you
are comfortable with any changes that have been madesince the first draft.
If you contacted stakeholders at the beginning of theprocess, you should have some idea of whether they
are likely to object to the findings.

If you are not recommended for certification

If your farm or wild harvest operation has not been
recommended for certification, the audit process shouldhave contributed to a better understanding of youroperations, and the environment in which it operates.
Once you have addressed the issues that prevented
your farm or wild harvest operation from becoming certified,
you can re-apply for the audit process at any time.

Find out more

The key players involved in an audit and their roles
and responsibilities are outlined on page 24.

Contents

Get certified! The initial audit

21

©ASC

7

Final Report and determination

This report includes the certification team’s determinationof whether the farm or wild harvest operation shouldbe certified. It is issued once the assessment team has
considered the comments received during the public
consultation period and revised the report accordingly.

The objections procedure

If a stakeholder (including the client) believes there is anerror in the Final Report they can raise an objection within
the 10 working day period after the report is published.
Only stakeholders that have raised an issue previously
during the assessment (for example at the site visit) can
initiate the objection procedure.
The CAB will first try to settle the objection in an informalmanner, for example by considering additional information
provided. If an agreement cannot be reached within 10
working days, the objector may re-submit the objection
using the CAB’s formal complaint procedure.
The CAB will update the Final Report and state theoutcome of the complaint procedure in the PublicCertification Report.
If an agreement cannot be reached using the complaint
procedure, the objector can file a complaint against the
CAB with Accreditation Services International (ASI).

8

Public Certification Report and getting
your certificate

If no objections have been raised, your farm or wild
harvest operation is certified!
Certification lasts for a maximum of three years (subject toannual surveillance audits).
Your conformity assessment body (CAB) will issue andpublish a Public Certification Report, which will include
any required action plans for improvement. Later, theCAB will issue a farm or wild harvest operation certificate.
If your clients become certified to the MSC Chain of
Custody Standard, products from your certified farm or
wild harvest operation can bear the ASC and/or MSC
ecolabel on packs or menus.

It’s now time tocelebrate and promote
your certification!

Get certified! Maintaining certification

Contents

22

5

Maintaining ASC-MSC
seaweed certification
A farm or wild harvest operation certificate lasts up to
three years. During this time, your farm or wild harvest
operation may need to make improvements required
as conditions of certification and will receive regularsurveillance audits.
After three years, your farm or wild harvest operation
may choose to be re-certified. The new audit process
should be completed prior to the expiry of the original
certificate in order to maintain continuous certification.

©MSC/Steve Rocliffe

Contents

Get certified! Maintaining certification

Surveillance auditsYour conformity assessment body (CAB) will review
your farm or wild harvest operation’s progress, andthe status of any improvements being made, during
annual surveillance audits.
These audits may take place at the farm, wild harvest
operation, or another location where the client is based.
They do not have to take place on the same date every
year. They may be undertaken up to six months earlier/later
than the anniversary date of your certificate each year.
Surveillance audits must include face-to-faceinteractions with the client, employees and relevant
stakeholders, and stakeholders may be invited to provide
additional information.

The assessment
team is permitted
to conduct anunannounced audit,
or more frequent
audits, if they identify
a need to do so

Re-certification audit

Re-certification audits should commence before
the expiry of the existing certificate. Your conformity
assessment body will discuss the best timing forthe re-certification audit.
Date of certification:
Surveillance audit 1:
Surveillance audit 2:
Re-assessment date:©MSC/Steve Rocliffe

23Get certified! Who’s who

Contents

24

6

Who’s who: Key players,roles and responsibilities

Throughout the audit process, you will become familiar
with a number of key individuals and organisations.
We have outllined descriptions of who they are,and their specific role(s) in the process.

©iStock/dima_sidelnikov

Contents

Get certified! Who’s who

The Client

an individual(s), organisation, or group of organisations
that make a formal application for a farm or wild harvest
operation to be assessed. For example, the client could
include a seaweed production company or a seaweed
processor along with other members of the Unit ofCertification such as NGOs.

ASC-MSC Quality Assurance System

Clients are responsible for:any individuals or organisations that are interested in, or
affected by, the farm or wild harvest operation.

• Entering into a legal contract with an accredited 			conformity assessment body (CAB) – clients must 		
therefore be a legally constituted body
• Funding the cost of the audit process• Ensuring the CAB is aware of stakeholders that should 		
be contacted to be involved in the audit process• Ensuring that the assessment team has unrestricted 		
access to data and information about the wild
harvest operation• Implementing any action plans to make improvements
if/when the ASC-MSC certificate is issued

The Conformity Assessment Body (CAB)

an independent body approved by ASI to conduct audits
and make a final determination of whether a farm or wild
harvest operation meets the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard
based on the results of these audits.

The CAB is responsible for:• Establishing the assessment team
• Issuing the certificate• Conducting surveillance audits and evaluations
during the life of the certificate

The Assessment Teamseaweed assessment professionals, scientists, technicalexperts and social auditors with specialist knowledge whohave been selected by the CAB to conduct the audits.

The assessment team are responsible for:• Assessing farms and wild harvest operations against 		the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard and in accordance 		with the ASC-MSC Seaweed Certification and 			Accreditation Requirements on behalf of the CAB• Using information provided by the client, management 		
agencies and stakeholder groups to reach a judgment 		
about the performance of a farm or wild harvest operation• Using existing information and reports to make a 			precautionary decision (they are not obliged to conduct 		
new research in order to reach a judgment)

25

experts selected to review the public comment draft
report and provide feedback to CABs on the conclusions
reached: the conditions raised; the client action plan; andeach performance indicator’s score and provided rationale

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are responsible for:• Bringing any issues and concerns they have regarding 		the conduct or performance of the farm or wild harvest 		
operation relevant to the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard to
the attention of the assessment team
• Providing well informed and substantive arguments for 		
their positions, including references to objective 			evidence that can assist the assessment team

Typical stakeholders include:• Government agencies• Environmental / conservation organisations• Other fishers, seaweed farmers or wild harvesters(e.g. subsistence fishers)• Industry groups• Community groups• Commercial / post-harvest sector (your customers)• Scientists

The ASC and the MSC

mission driven non-governmental organisations andstandard setters. We are not involved in the audit process
and do not issue certificates. To maintain impartiality, we
operate a ‘third-party’ certification program, where audits
are carried out by independent conformity assessment
bodies (CABs).
• We can support seaweed producers to understand 		
the Seaweed Standard and the audit process and help 		
certified producers to communicate their achievements 		
and to explore access to markets.
• We can provide technical oversight on the ASC-MSC 		
Seaweed Standard and, if necessary, raise issues to 		
Accreditation Services International.

Contents

Get certified! Summary checklist

26

7

Summary checklist

Here’s a handy checklist to help you track yourprogress through the audit process.
Familiarise yourself with the ASC-MSC
Seaweed Standard
Understand the production category of your farmor wild harvest operation (see page 8)
Familiarise yourself with the principal
indicators (PIs) (see page 7)
Download the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standardat www.asc-aqua.org/seaweed-standard

Prepare for the audit process

Think about Chain of Custody certification

Undertake a pre-audit
Arrange a pre-audit to inform whether your farm or 		
wild harvest operation is ready to undergo the initial 		
audit or whether you must make improvements
to your operations

Arrange the initial audit
Your CAB will announce the audit

Choose a conformity assessment body (CAB)

Prepare the information required by your CAB

Decide on the Unit of Assessment

Arrange a site visit with your CAB

Define the contract with the CAB

Review the CAB’s Client Draft Report

Prepare the required audit information –for full details of the information required see
Client Application Checklist

Create any necessary action plans for improvement

Get in touch with stakeholders interested in yourfarm or wild harvest operation
Investigate sources of funding

Notes

If certified
Celebrate and promote your farm or wild harvest 		
operation’s ASC-MSC certification!

Get certified! Summary checklist

Contents

27©MSC/Steve Rocliffe

For more informationwww.asc-aqua.org/seaweed-standard
seaweedstandard@msc.org

ASC

HNK, Arthur van Schendelstraat 650
3511 MJ Utrecht
The Netherlands
T: +31 30 239 31 10
E: info@asc-aqua.org
W: www.asc-aqua.org© Aquaculture Stewardship Council 2017

MSC

Marine House
1 Snow Hill
London EC1A 2DH
United Kingdom
T: +44 20 7246 8900
E: info@msc.org

W: www.msc.org© Marine Stewardship Council 2017

Design by Be Curious Limited.