Managing CAB Accreditation Suspension and Certificate Impact

Why CAB accreditation requirements exist in MSC certification

The Marine Stewardship Council relies on independent third-party certification to verify that fisheries and supply chain organisations conform to rigorous sustainability standards. Under Clause 4.1.1 and Clause 4.1.2 of the MSC General Certification Requirements version 2.7, Conformity Assessment Bodies must secure formal accreditation before delivering certification services and may only issue certificates strictly within their approved scope. Accreditation is overseen globally by Assurance Services International, operating as the sole global assurance provider, alongside recognised accreditation bodies under the Two-Tier Assurance Program.

Accreditation requirements maintain public credibility and ensure that auditing bodies operate with technical competence, impartiality, and robust management systems in accordance with ISO 17065. When an audit body fails to maintain required competencies or breaches operational rules, the assurance provider or accreditation body may suspend, withdraw, or cancel the organisation's accreditation. Understanding the regulatory impact of a certification body's suspension is critical for quality managers and compliance leads seeking to protect the validity of their fishery certificates and supply chain claims.

Operational constraints and certificate validity during CAB suspension

When an assurance provider or accreditation body suspends a certification body in full or in part, specific administrative restrictions take effect immediately. Under Clause 4.2.1 of the MSC General Certification Requirements version 2.7, a suspended auditing body must not sign new certification contracts or initiate new assessments within the suspended scope. However, Clause 4.2.2 establishes that the validity of certificates issued prior to the suspension date remains unaffected, unless the assurance provider or accreditation body determines otherwise.

To maintain ongoing oversight of existing clients during a suspension period, Clause 4.2.3 requires the suspended body to discuss necessary personnel and procedural resources with the assurance provider. The auditing body must put these resources into place and secure explicit written approval from the assurance provider before conducting any surveillance audits. Furthermore, Clause 4.2.4 mandates complete cooperation between the suspended body, the Marine Stewardship Council, and the assurance provider to investigate the cause of suspension and determine whether any doubt exists regarding certificate integrity.

Where the assurance provider confirms there is no reason to doubt certificate integrity, Clause 4.2.5 requires the suspended body to formally inform its certificate holders of several key operational facts. Certificate holders must receive written notice confirming that accreditation is suspended, that existing certificates remain valid, and that clients may continue to supply certified fish and make claims under standard certification obligations. The notice must also explain that corrective actions taken by the auditing body may alter audit procedures and could involve partial or full client re-auditing focused on the specific area of non-conformance.

Certificate transfer procedures and client protection protocols

When an auditing body undergoes accreditation suspension or complete cancellation, certificate holders possess the right to safeguard their certification status by changing certification bodies. Clause 4.11.1 of the MSC General Certification Requirements version 2.7 mandates that audit bodies respect a client's request to transfer their certificate at any point. Clause 4.11.17.d and Clause 4.11.17.e specify that transfers from suspended or cancelled auditing bodies must follow defined pre-transfer review procedures.

To initiate a transfer from a suspended body, the client must select an accredited succeeding body and authorise information sharing. The transfer process follows four mandatory steps.

• Submit a formal transfer application to a succeeding accredited certification body and sign a non-disclosure agreement waiver to permit data transfer.
• Provide all recent audit reports, outstanding condition milestones, non-conformity records, and surveillance plans to the succeeding body for pre-transfer review.
• Facilitate communication between bodies so the succeeding body can request outstanding documentation from the current body under Clause 4.11.8, which must respond within ten days.
• Agree upon a formal transfer date, ensuring the succeeding body issues the new certificate in the scheme database on or before the transfer date to prevent any gap in coverage.

Under Clause 4.11.9, the succeeding body evaluates the pre-transfer review findings and decides whether to accept the transfer, conduct a partial audit focusing on deficient areas, or require a full reassessment. Clause 4.11.16 confirms that the expiry date and existing condition timelines of the preceding certificate remain unchanged upon transfer.

Example

A certified salmon fishery receives formal notification that its certification body has suffered partial accreditation suspension by Assurance Services International due to competency deficiencies in management system auditing. The fishery's compliance manager reviews the notice and confirms under Clause 4.2.5 that the fishery certificate remains fully valid and that certified sales can continue. However, because an annual surveillance audit is due within 60 days and the suspended body has not yet secured written authorization under Clause 4.2.3, the compliance manager elects to transfer the certificate under Clause 4.11.17.d.

The fishery submits an application to an accredited succeeding body, granting a data waiver under Clause 4.11.3.b. The succeeding body reviews the fishery's previous audit reports and open conditions, contacts the suspended body for historical records under Clause 4.11.8, and approves the transfer without requiring a full re-audit. The transfer date is set, the new certificate is uploaded to the scheme database with the original expiration date under Clause 4.11.16, and the fishery maintains uninterrupted market access.

Before your audit

• Verify the current accreditation status of your certification body on the Marine Stewardship Council website or scheme database.
• Review any formal suspension advisories issued by your certification body under Clause 4.2.5 to understand required corrective actions.
• Confirm whether your certification body has secured written approval from the assurance provider to conduct upcoming surveillance audits.
• Check that certified sales and trademark usage continue strictly within standard obligations if certificate validity is maintained.
• Maintain an offline digital archive of all audit reports, condition milestones, and catch records in case a rapid certificate transfer is required.
• Ensure non-disclosure agreement waivers are signed before transmitting historical audit files to a prospective succeeding certification body.
• Confirm that any proposed transfer date aligns with existing surveillance schedules to avoid audit delays.

Questions people ask

Can a fishery continue selling certified fish if its certification body's accreditation is suspended?

Yes, under Clause 4.2.5 of the MSC General Certification Requirements version 2.7, existing certificates remain valid and certified sales may continue, provided the assurance provider has not identified doubts regarding certificate integrity.

What restrictions apply to a certification body during accreditation suspension?

Under Clause 4.2.1 and Clause 4.2.9, a suspended certification body cannot sign new certification contracts or issue new certificates within the scope of suspension.

Can a suspended certification body conduct surveillance audits for existing clients?

Under Clause 4.2.3, a suspended body may only conduct surveillance audits if it puts required resources into place and obtains written approval from the assurance provider.

How does a certificate holder transfer to a new certification body during a suspension?

Under Clause 4.11.17.d, the client submits a transfer application to an accredited body, completes a pre-transfer review of past audit reports, and agrees on a transfer date to issue a new certificate.

Reference documents

• MSC General Certification Requirements version 2.7
• MSC Fisheries Certification Process version 2.3
• MSC Fisheries Certification Process version 3.0
• MSC Fisheries Standard version 2.01
• MSC Fisheries Standard version 3.0