Find a Certification Body

Find information about certification bodies, assessment requirements and technical resources for Friend of the Sea certification.

For Companies Seeking Certification

Find a certification body for your application

Independent certification bodies assess applications against the relevant Friend of the Sea standard. Before arranging an assessment, confirm which standard applies to your product, service or activity and whether the certification body can assess that scope.

For help identifying a suitable certification body, contact quality@friendofthesea.org.

Enquire About a Certification Body

Understand certification and accreditation

Certification assesses conformity with the requirements of a particular standard. Accreditation assesses a certification body’s competence to undertake specified certification activities.

The Friend of the Sea Certification Procedure sets out registration and accreditation requirements for certification bodies, including conditions for bodies undergoing accreditation.

View the Certification Procedure

International Recognition

Friend of the Sea is listed by Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) as an endorsed sector scheme under its Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for product certification to ISO/IEC 17065.

The published scope includes the FOS Wild Standard; FOS Aqua Inland, Marine and Shellfish standards; and FOS standards for chain of custody, fish feed, fishmeal, fish oil and Omega-3.

This recognition applies to the standards identified in Global ACI’s published scope. Check the relevant certification body’s accreditation scope when arranging an assessment.

World Sustainability Organization S.r.l. is a stakeholder member of Global ACI.

View Friend of the Sea on Global ACI

View the published Global ACI MRA scope

Certification Bodies

Find certification bodies that conduct assessments against Friend of the Sea standards. View each entry for its website, assessment scope and accreditation status.

Before arranging an assessment, confirm that the body can assess your product, service or activity against the relevant standard. For assistance, contact quality@friendofthesea.org.

For Certification Bodies

Apply to conduct Friend of the Sea assessments

Certification bodies interested in conducting Friend of the Sea assessments should contact quality@friendofthesea.org for information about registration, accreditation requirements and the applicable certification scope.

Contact the Technical Team

Training and Technical Support

Friend of the Sea’s Technical and Scientific Department provides training, technical support and guidance on interpreting the standards. Contact quality@friendofthesea.org for information about training and assessment requirements.

Resources for Auditors and Certification Bodies

Access certification procedures, audit guidance and standard transition documents to support assessment planning and delivery. Check which document version applies to your assessment. Contact the technical team if you need clarification.

Certification Procedures and Audit Guidance

Audit Guidance v.1

Audit Guidance v.2.1

Certification Procedure

Accreditation and Certification Procedure rev. 10

Standard Transition Guidance

Guideline transition from FOS Wild v.3.1 to FOS Wild v.4

Technical Circulars

Consult the circulars for requirement interpretations, procedural updates and instructions relevant to your assessment. Check their applicability with the technical team, particularly where a circular concerns an exceptional measure or a previous standard version.

2020

Circular 0120 – Interpretation of FOS requirements

Circular 0220 – Coronavirus Exceptional Measures

Circular 0320 – Correction Corona Virus

Circular 0420 – Certificate extension

2021

Circular 0121 – Surveillance audit extension

Circular 0221 – Unannounced audits 2020

Circular 0321 – Training and witness audits

Circular 0421 – Mass balance

Circular 0521 – FOS CoC requirements 2.2 and 2.3

2022

Circular 0122 – Interests of fishers engaged in subsistence, small-scale and artisanal fisheries

Circular 0222 – Certificate wording for certification bodies undergoing national accreditation

2023

Circular 0223 – Surveillance against FOS Wild 3.1 after the transition to FOS Wild 4

Circular 0323 – Recertification audit

Circular 0423 – Surveillance performed by another certification body

2024

Circular 0124 – Certification of Bigeye in Indian Ocean

Circular 0224 – Trimmings and by-cut

2025

Circular 0125 – Data integration

Circular 0225 – Indian Oil Sardine FAO 51

Circular 0325 – Remote audit

Circular 0425 – Remote audit

2026

Circular 0126 – FOS WILD requirement clarification

Need Assistance

For questions about certification bodies, accreditation requirements, training or technical documents, contact quality@friendofthesea.org.

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Sustainable Seafood Certification and Accreditation