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FISH CERTIFICATION
AUTHORITY
Submit Your Catch
RECORDS
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RULES
Est. 2025 // Canada-Based Standard

The Standard of The North

We are a nationally recognized certification body for recreational anglers. We exist to catalogue achievement, ensure integrity, and preserve the history of the sport.
BEGIN CERTIFICATION
Independent standards and permanent recordkeeping
Our Mission

An honest record for every trophy catch.​

The Fish Certification Authority exists to bring credibility and permanence to sport fishing achievement. We certify trophy catches accurately, independently, and without commercial bias.

Every certificate we issue is tied to a verified measurement, a dated location record, and a permanent registry entry — not a fee tier or a membership level.

View Our Standards
OUR PHILOSOPHY

Not Just A Trophy.
A Matter of Record.

We believe that a trophy catch is a historical event. It deserves to be measured, verified, and archived with the same rigorous standards used in scientific data collection.

For decades, the stories of the greatest catches have been lost to time, fading photographs, or localized bar tales. The Fish Certification Authority (FCA) was founded to change that.

We maintain the registry.
Our Story

Where it started.

For decades, Canadian trophy fishing records lived in scattered logbooks, self-reported forums, and unverifiable social media posts. There was no independent body dedicated to certifying catches with the same rigour applied to other sports.
The Fish Certification Authority was founded in Canada to close that gap. We built a structured review process, a permanent digital registry, and a QR-verifiable certificate system — so that when an angler catches something extraordinary, that record stands up to scrutiny long after the moment has passed.
We are building a trusted Canadian recognition standard. We operate independently with no sponsorship control from lodges, outfitters, or manufacturers.
Founded
2025

By anglers who believed a trophy catch deserved more than a photograph.

Our Position​

A Catch Is a Story. Verification Makes It a Record.

FCA was built to document recreational angling achievement with institutional standards. Each accepted entry includes species compliance, measurable evidence, and a unique angler ID tied to an online registry profile.

From first trophy to Hall of Fame status, the platform is designed to preserve verified catch records while maintaining credibility.
Certification records and recognition standards
Certification Records

Built for Serious Anglers

I.

Integrity & Validation

We are a third-party authority. We do not sell gear, we do not run lodges. Our only product is the truth. Every submission is manually reviewed to ensure species identification and measurement accuracy.

II.

Conservation First

The FCA actively encourages Catch & Release. Our “Live Release” designation on certificates carries higher prestige in our community. You don’t need to kill a trophy to immortalize it.

III.

The Modern Archive​

Government registries are slow and regional. The FCA is digital, Canada-focused, and permanent. Your unique Angler ID connects your catches across lakes, years, and species.
The Certification Process​

Four-step certification overview.

Every submission is reviewed by a human certifier against species-specific length standards. No automated approvals, no exceptions.

See Minimum Requirements
01

Start Your Submission

Start with your name, province or state, and contact details, then submit your catch for review.
02

Submit Your Catch

Log the species, measured length, catch date, and location. Attach up to three photos following our standard measurement guidelines.

03

Manual Review

A certifier reviews your submission against the published minimum length table. Submissions are approved, returned for clarification, or declined with a written reason.

04

Certificate Issued

Approved catches receive a Certificate ID, a QR-linked verification page, and a downloadable PDF. Your entry is permanently indexed in the Hall of Fame.
30

Certifiable species

100%

Manual review — no automated approvals

5–7 days

Typical review turnaround

0
No lodge or manufacturer sponsorships
Our Independence​

No sponsorships. No conflicts. Transparent decisions.

Commercial independence is not a policy — it is a structural requirement for any organization whose certifications are meant to mean something.

No sponsorships from lodges, outfitters, or tackle manufacturers.

Decisions made solely against published minimum length standards.

Approved catches are permanently recorded. Certificates may be revoked if new evidence invalidates a record.

Declined submissions receive a written reason. No black-box decisions.

Species table and measurement standards are publicly published and versioned.

Angler holding a certified catch in a mountain lake
Canadian recognition standard and operating base
Head Office: Canada

Operated from Canada.

Serving Canadian anglers.
Registry credential example and validation details
Credential Output​

Proof Designed for Display and Trust​

Approved submissions produce an FCA Certificate with Certificate ID, species and submission details. Digital delivery provides the approved certificate and verification page.

Every certificate is linked to the public record so recognition can be verified instantly.

Verification Process

Verification Benchmarks

NORTHERN PIKE

Esox Lucius
MIN. QUALIFYING LENGTH

41''

1,428

Certified Catches

Lake Trout

Salvelinus namaycush
MIN. QUALIFYING LENGTH

35''

856

Certified Catches

Walleye

Sander vitreus
MIN. QUALIFYING LENGTH

28''

2,104

Certified Catches

See All Species Requirements
Registry Workflow

Five controls for consistent review

01

Submission Received

Initial data intake by administrative staff
02

Evidence Check

Manual review for photo quality and context
03

Measurement Validation

Length checked against published species standards
04

Species Verification

Taxonomic confirmation against official registry
05

Record Issuance

Certificate ID and QR code assigned permanently
Standard Operating Protocol

Registry Assurance Protocol

01

Initial Intake

Anglers submit catch specifics via our secure interface, including species, measured length, catch date, body of water or location, and up to three photos.
02

Manual Audit

Our certification team performs a frame-by-frame review of all visual assets to verify photo integrity and measurement scale placement.
03

Data Validation

The submission is checked against species-specific size benchmarks to confirm it meets published qualifying standards.
04

Taxonomic Verification

Biological identification of the specimen is confirmed by experts to ensure accurate sub-species classification within the record.

05

Registry Entry

Final approval generates a Certificate ID and permanent archive entry. Digital and physical credentials are then authorized for issue.
Ready to certify your trophy?

Your catch deserves a permanent record.

Submit your catch today. If it meets the published minimum length for your species, it belongs in the registry.

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