Certification status
MSC status of Argentine red shrimp and Argentine hake
Two Argentine red shrimp fisheries are MSC certified and a third is in assessment. Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) is not MSC certified; it has a fishery improvement project. Details, dates and links below.
Last reviewed . First published 2026-11-11.
Status table, checked 2026-11-11
Status words, names, dates and codes are copied from the MSC Fisheries website. "Reported catch" is live weight as published there.
| Fishery (MSC name) | MSC status | Certifier | Certified since / expires | Certificate code | Reported catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) offshore bottom trawl fishery in federal waters | Certified | Organizacion Internacional Agropecuaria (OIA) | 11 Feb 2026 / 10 Feb 2031 | MSC-F-31675 | 139,222.3 t (2024) |
| Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) coastal trawling fishery in waters of Province of Chubut | Certified | OIA | 20 Mar 2025 / 19 Mar 2030 | MSC-F-31644 | 56,590.2 t (2025) |
| Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) bottom trawl fishery by chubutense coastal chilling vessels | In Assessment | OIA | not certified | none | not published |
| Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) | Not listed on MSC Fisheries | none | not certified | none |
Hake row: an MSC Fisheries search for "hubbsi" returns 0 results (MSC search). The chilling-vessels assessment had a Public Comment Draft Report open for stakeholder comment until 28 Nov 2026 (MSC).
Argentine red shrimp
Offshore federal fishery (certified February 2026)
- MSC describes the offshore component as made up of a client group of 34 companies and says that in 2024 the fishery reported catches above 139,000 tonnes (MSC press release).
- The unit of certification covers Argentine red shrimp caught by shrimp bottom trawls in FAO Area 41 (MSC fishery page). Only vessels linked with the client group are covered by the certificate (OIA report).
- For frozen shrimp, the fishery certificate ends when the product is received in storage or processing facilities; if products are sold directly to customers, the certificate covers that trade and no separate chain of custody certificate is required, according to the OIA report. For fresh shrimp from chilling vessels, it ends when the shrimp is received at the client group's plant.
Chubut coastal fishery (certified March 2025)
The onshore coastal trawl fishery in Chubut waters was certified first, on 20 March 2025 (MSC fishery page); MSC calls the 2026 offshore certificate a step that "builds on" it (MSC press release).
Chubut coastal chilling vessels (in assessment)
A third unit, the bottom trawl fishery by Chubut coastal chilling vessels, is listed as "In Assessment" (MSC fishery page). It is not certified, and product from it cannot be sold as MSC certified on the strength of this listing.
A date discrepancy
| Source | Date given for the offshore certification |
|---|---|
| MSC Fisheries website | Certified since 11 Feb 2026 |
| Santa Cruz Ministry of Production | "oficializada el 6 de febrero de 2026" (made official on 6 Feb 2026) |
We use the MSC date. The provincial date may refer to an earlier announcement; we have not found a document that explains the difference.
Argentine hake: not MSC certified
Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) is not MSC certified. No hubbsi hake fishery appears on the MSC Fisheries website (MSC search). A fishery improvement project (FIP) is not a certification. MSC says the blue label is for seafood from a fishery certified as sustainable (MSC), so FIP product cannot carry it.
What exists is a FIP coordinated by CeDePesca (CeDePesca FIP page):
- Scope: Argentine hake, stock south of 41° S, industrial bottom trawl, freezing fleet.
- Participants: Pedro Moscuzza e Hijos, Estrella Patagonica, Grupo Iberconsa de Argentina, Giorno, Pescasol, Costa Marina and Pesquera Comercial, with CeDePesca's technical support.
- Timeline: prospective FIP announced in October 2019; comprehensive action plan adopted in April 2022.
- Ratings shown by CeDePesca: FIP stage 4 by CASS ("Improvements in Fisheries Practices or Management"); MSC benchmarking tool "Y0, April 2022"; SFP rating "A (Advanced progress, July 2026)".
- Example objective: defining a limit reference point for the southern stock and periodic peer review of the stock assessment.
Correct wording for a hake offer, if the supplier is a participant: "from a fishery in a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), not MSC certified". Ask the supplier for its FIP participation evidence.
Selling as MSC certified: chain of custody
MSC states that its Chain of Custody Standard "provides assurance that all seafood sold with the blue MSC label comes from a fishery that has been certified as sustainable", and that certification ensures certified seafood can be traced back to another certified business (MSC). In practice:
- Ask the supplier for its MSC chain of custody certificate code, or written confirmation that it sells under the fishery certificate.
- Check that the fishery is still listed as "Certified" on the MSC Fisheries website on the day you buy. Certificates expire and can be suspended.
- Your own company needs its own chain of custody certificate to sell the product on as MSC certified or with the label.
ArgentineSeafood.com does not hold an MSC certificate or label licence and does not use the MSC logo. When you request certified product, we only pass your request to suppliers who say they can document it.
Not legal or commercial advice. This page summarises public documents for orientation only. Rules, seasons and certificates change. Confirm every requirement with the issuing authority, your customs broker and your supplier before you buy.
Sources for this page
All links checked 2026-11-11. Supplier pages are examples published by sellers, not standards. Full site list on our sources page.
- MSC Fisheries: Argentine red shrimp offshore bottom trawl fishery in federal waters
- MSC Fisheries: Argentine red shrimp coastal trawling fishery in waters of Province of Chubut
- MSC Fisheries: Argentine red shrimp bottom trawl fishery by chubutense coastal chilling vessels
- MSC press release: offshore Argentinian red shrimp achieves MSC certification
- OIA, Public Certification Report, Argentine red shrimp offshore fishery, v1.3, 11 Feb 2026 (copy hosted by Pescare)
- MSC Chain of Custody Standard
- MSC Fisheries search for "hubbsi" (0 results on 11 Nov 2026)
- CeDePesca: Argentine hake (bottom trawl) Fishery Improvement Project
- Santa Cruz Ministry of Production, 10 Feb 2026: MSC certification and the Golfo San Jorge closure
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