The MSC is creating a Peer Review College as part of its fishery assessment process and is inviting independent fishery consultancy organisations and academic institutes to apply for the management of the college.

Peer review already plays an integral role in the MSC’s fishery assessment process. Through the reviewing of conformity assessment body (CABs) reports, peer review engagement can help determine whether a fishery under assessment meets the MSC standard for sustainability.

In response to its recent speed and cost review, the MSC is creating the college to standardise process and improve efficiency.

The MSC will set the criteria for peer reviewer competence and college membership, provide it with procedures and guidelines. However, once initiated, the college will operate independently.

The college will therefore be responsible for nominating potential reviewers for individual assessments in line with these procedures and the MSC will subcontract the college directly for services.

A request for tenders for suitable organisations to run the peer review college will be launched in April. The MSC will provide further details about the college in the request for tender documents and will conduct a formal tender process to ensure that the process is carried out in line with best practice.

The initial contract to run the college will be for a trial period of three years, from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2017.

For more information or to register, please contact Graham Bruford, Standards Training Manager at [email protected] (direct line: +44(0) 20 7246 8941) with your credentials.