Intended for producers of sea salt, which can have a significant impact on the marine environment
Friend of the Sea, the preeminent certification standard for products and services that respect and protect the marine environment, announced today that it has published a certification standard for sustainable sea salt production. Sea salt production practices can have a significant impact on marine and coastal wildlife. Companies that meet the sea salt certification criteria can the Friend of the Sea eco-label on their sea salt products.
“Salt is so common that we often forget that much of it comes from the sea,” said Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea. “Protecting the marine environment needs to include ensuring that sea salt production practices are sustainable.”
The process of extracting salt from seawater has changed little in thousands of years. It involves trapping water in shallow ponds or “pans” and allowing the water to evaporate. The remaining salt can then be harvested and refined. Seasalt is used in food preparation, but also in many industrial applications like the production of chlorine.
Sea salt production can affect the marine ecosystem and the well-being of both land and marine flora and fauna. This is due to the process’s tendency to disrupt the natural flow of water at the shoreline. The processes changes waterways, whichin turn potentially negatively affects feeding grounds, breeding and so forth.
To meet the Friend of the Sea requirements, a sea salt producer must pass an audit. The audit examines the producers social and environmental management systems, emergency procedures, machinery and equipment, legal compliance and conservation of the ecosystem. In this latter category, the salt producer must affirm that construction of their salt pans has not destroyed any natural ecosystem. If there has been environmental damage, the salt producer must provide a mitigation plan. The audit also looks at the impact of the salt facility on the aquatic ecosystem and use of hazardous substances, along with many other factors
About Friend of the Sea
Friend of the Sea, a project of the World Sustainability Organization, awards sustainable practices in Fisheries, Aquaculture, Fishmeal and Omega 3 Fish Oil. The organization promotes pilot projects related to restaurants, sustainable shipping, whale and dolphin-watching, aquaria, ornamental fish, UV creams and others. It is the only sustainable fisheries certification program recognized and supervised globally by a National Accreditation Body.
