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Displaying items by tag: Sea Salt

Oriel Sea Salt, a Co. Louth-based sea salt harvesting business, has launched the world's first deep sea liquid magnesium health supplement. The company extracts magnesium and minerals from deep seawater for use in health, well-being and skin care products. Oriel Sea Salt CEO and co-founder, Brian Fitzpatrick, said that the magnesium-based liquid food supplement will soon be available online across the USA, Canada and the Middle East, giving consumers access to this unique form of liquid magnesium, minerals and trace elements vital to good health.

The company started as a sea salt harvesting business in 2013 and was the brainchild of Brian Fitzpatrick and his business partner, John Delany. The journey to becoming a global leader in liquid magnesium production began when the company discovered that a by-product of its sea salt production were minerals with exceptional qualities and benefits for health and nutrition. Oriel Sea Salt has invested in and developed technology, which has now been patented in Ireland, UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The company has been supported by various agencies, including Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), in developing its patented technology and acquiring new equipment vital to seeing its business grow. A grant under the Brexit Blue Economy Enterprise Development Scheme, implemented by BIM, has been a great support to Oriel.

Oriel is now the only company globally to harvest magnesium, minerals and trace elements in this unique free ion form directly from deep seawater. It is also the only company to hold Protected Designation of Origin status (PDO) from the EU Commission for its Minerals and Sea Salt.

Magnesium connects and impacts health, immunity, sleep, and energy, said Brian. It is used in nutrition supplementation, medical devices and many high-street skincare and cosmetic brands.

Oriel has worked with scientists at DCU over the last several years to develop this unique form of liquid magnesium, with research published in medical, science and skincare journals. The company's blue-chip clients in skincare include Neals Yard Remedies, ESPA, GOSH and Pestle & Mortar.

Oriel Sea Salt is harvested underwater using a special process. It has significantly less sodium than other salt and allows a reduction of 25% sodium without impacting on flavour. It is used by Ireland’s top chefs and has many accreditations, including four Blas na hEireann awards and four Great Taste awards. Oriel products have Organic Certification and Gold Standard Origin Green status for Sustainability and are used by many major brands, including Coca-Cola, Ballymaloe, East Coast Bakehouse, Waterford Blaa and O'Donnells Crisps.

“This is true diversification as the company evolves from being food-based (sea salt) to being a supplier of products to health, wellbeing and life science sectors. We anticipate that up to 75% of our products will be exported by the end of this year,” said Brian.

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Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has welcomed the European Commission’s recent publication for a three-month member state/third country opposition procedure of the application for a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Achill Island Sea Salt.

Achill Island Sea Salt is the name given to a hand-harvested sea salt from the waters around Achill Island in Co Mayo.

Minister McConalogue said: “I am delighted that the European Commission has finalised its scrutiny of the PDO application for Achill Island Sea Salt and that the application has reached this stage of the procedure. The publication is a requirement under EU rules.”

The publication of the application represents the next phase of consultation on the application for PDO status for Achill Island Sea Sal”.

It is now open to other EU member states and third countries having a legitimate interest to make submissions on the application with the Commission, within a three-month period from the date of publication.

The minister added: “The PDO application for Achill Island Sea Salt indicates the preservation of traditional production methods, promoting heritage and supporting local economies. I commend all those who have been involved in bringing the application to this stage.”

PDO status was previously granted for Oriel Sea Salt harvested at Clogherhead in Co Louth, as reported on Afloat.ie in August 2016.

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#SeaSalt - Marine Minister Michael Creed has welcomed the European Commission's approval of the addition of Oriel Sea Salt and Oriel Sea Minerals to the quality register of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO).

“This is great news for the producers of two special products from the bay of Port Oriel in Co Louth," said the minister. "Oriel Sea Salt and Oriel Sea Minerals join the list of recognised and protected EU food names with a unique link to a particular locality in terms of quality, characteristics and tradition.”

The PDO register is a geographical indication, or GI, system that recognises quality foods with traditional connections to places and regions within Europe, such as Champagne in France and feta cheese in Greece.

"The Oriel Sea Salt and Oriel Sea Minerals names will enjoy the same protection recognition as Imokilly Regato PDO, Connemara Hill Lamb PGI and the Waterford Blaa/Blaa PGI," the minister added.

Following national consultation, two further applications had been submitted to the European Commission this year: a PDO application for Sneem black pudding and a PGI application for Wexford blackcurrants.

Acknowledging what's described as a rigorous application process, Minister Creed said that his department was actively engaging with a number of producers with a view to progressing applications to national consultation stage.

“I think that there is real prospect that this engagement could result in Ireland doubling its PDO/PGI products," he said. "I really would also like to see a successful Irish application for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status so that Ireland would feature in each of the three food GI regimes.

"This emphasis on quality recognition is entirely consistent with national policy for the development of the food sector and builds on Ireland’s already strong international reputation as a producer of world class food."

Oriel Sea Salt is harvested from the bay of Port Oriel at Clogherhead in Co Louth. It is almost powder-like to the touch and is naturally crystal white so it does not need to be washed or rinsed.

Oriel Sea Salt is affected by the deep water currents, cleanliness, mineral content and purity of the water in this location.

Harvesting of sea salt in Port Oriel dates back centuries, when salt was a vital ingredient in preserving fish landed at the harbour for consumption, storage and subsequent transport to market.

Oriel Sea Minerals, which are concentrated sea mineral salts in liquid form, also received PDO status this week.

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Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - FAQS

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are geographically defined maritime areas where human activities are managed to protect important natural or cultural resources. In addition to conserving marine species and habitats, MPAs can support maritime economic activity and reduce the effects of climate change and ocean acidification.

MPAs can be found across a range of marine habitats, from the open ocean to coastal areas, intertidal zones, bays and estuaries. Marine protected areas are defined areas where human activities are managed to protect important natural or cultural resources.

The world's first MPA is said to have been the Fort Jefferson National Monument in Florida, North America, which covered 18,850 hectares of sea and 35 hectares of coastal land. This location was designated in 1935, but the main drive for MPAs came much later. The current global movement can be traced to the first World Congress on National Parks in 1962, and initiation in 1976 of a process to deliver exclusive rights to sovereign states over waters up to 200 nautical miles out then began to provide new focus

The Rio ‘Earth Summit’ on climate change in 1992 saw a global MPA area target of 10% by the 2010 deadline. When this was not met, an “Aichi target 11” was set requiring 10% coverage by 2020. There has been repeated efforts since then to tighten up MPA requirements.

Marae Moana is a multiple-use marine protected area created on July 13th 2017 by the government of the Cook islands in the south Pacific, north- east of New Zealand. The area extends across over 1.9 million square kilometres. However, In September 2019, Jacqueline Evans, a prominent marine biologist and Goldman environmental award winner who was openly critical of the government's plans for seabed mining, was replaced as director of the park by the Cook Islands prime minister’s office. The move attracted local media criticism, as Evans was responsible for developing the Marae Moana policy and the Marae Moana Act, She had worked on raising funding for the park, expanding policy and regulations and developing a plan that designates permitted areas for industrial activities.

Criteria for identifying and selecting MPAs depends on the overall objective or direction of the programme identified by the coastal state. For example, if the objective is to safeguard ecological habitats, the criteria will emphasise habitat diversity and the unique nature of the particular area.

Permanence of MPAs can vary internationally. Some are established under legislative action or under a different regulatory mechanism to exist permanently into the future. Others are intended to last only a few months or years.

Yes, Ireland has MPA cover in about 2.13 per cent of our waters. Although much of Ireland’s marine environment is regarded as in “generally good condition”, according to an expert group report for Government published in January 2021, it says that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are of “wide concern due to increasing pressures such as overexploitation, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change”.

The Government has set a target of 30 per cent MPA coverage by 2030, and moves are already being made in that direction. However, environmentalists are dubious, pointing out that a previous target of ten per cent by 2020 was not met.

Conservation and sustainable management of the marine environment has been mandated by a number of international agreements and legal obligations, as an expert group report to government has pointed out. There are specific requirements for area-based protection in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the OSPAR Convention, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Yes, the Marine Strategy Framework directive (2008/56/EC) required member states to put measures in place to achieve or maintain good environmental status in their waters by 2020. Under the directive a coherent and representative network of MPAs had to be created by 2016.

Ireland was about halfway up the EU table in designating protected areas under existing habitats and bird directives in a comparison published by the European Commission in 2009. However, the Fair Seas campaign, an environmental coalition formed in 2022, points out that Ireland is “lagging behind “ even our closest neighbours, such as Scotland which has 37 per cent. The Fair Seas campaign wants at least 10 per cent of Irish waters to be designated as “fully protected” by 2025, and “at least” 30 per cent by 2030.

Nearly a quarter of Britain’s territorial waters are covered by MPAs, set up to protect vital ecosystems and species. However, a conservation NGO, Oceana, said that analysis of fishing vessel tracking data published in The Guardian in October 2020 found that more than 97% of British MPAs created to safeguard ocean habitats, are being dredged and bottom trawled. 

There’s the rub. Currently, there is no definition of an MPA in Irish law, and environment protections under the Wildlife Acts only apply to the foreshore.

Current protection in marine areas beyond 12 nautical miles is limited to measures taken under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives or the OSPAR Convention. This means that habitats and species that are not listed in the EU Directives, but which may be locally, nationally or internationally important, cannot currently be afforded the necessary protection

Yes. In late March 2022, Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien said that the Government had begun developing “stand-alone legislation” to enable identification, designation and management of MPAs to meet Ireland’s national and international commitments.

Yes. Environmental groups are not happy, as they have pointed out that legislation on marine planning took precedence over legislation on MPAs, due to the push to develop offshore renewable energy.

No, but some activities may be banned or restricted. Extraction is the main activity affected as in oil and gas activities; mining; dumping; and bottom trawling

The Government’s expert group report noted that MPA designations are likely to have the greatest influence on the “capture fisheries, marine tourism and aquaculture sectors”. It said research suggests that the net impacts on fisheries could ultimately be either positive or negative and will depend on the type of fishery involved and a wide array of other factors.

The same report noted that marine tourism and recreation sector can substantially benefit from MPA designation. However, it said that the “magnitude of the benefits” will depend to a large extent on the location of the MPA sites within the network and the management measures put in place.

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