Socioeconomic impacts of MSC certification

The environmental impacts and benefits of MSC certification are regularly examined during the certification process and annual auditing of fisheries. However, the socioeconomic impacts of certification are not audited as part of the fishery assessment process. They are more difficult to determine, in large part, due to the complex international markets and supply chains within which fisheries operate.

To better understand the socioeconomic impacts of certification, the MSC has commissioned research that explores the social and economic benefits realised by fisheries in the UK through a series of case studies. This research combines qualitative interviews with quantitative analysis of landings and price changes pre- and post-MSC certification as compared to a non-certified counterfactual fishery.

The findings of this research are summarised below.