Abstract
Solar salinas are man-made systems exploited for the extraction of salt, by solar and wind evaporation of seawater. Salt production achieved by traditional methods is associated with landscapes and environmental and patrimonial values generated throughout history. Since the mid-twentieth century, this activity has been facing a marked decline in Portugal, with most salinas either abandoned or subjected to destruction, making it necessary to find a strategy to reverse this trend.It is, however, possible to generate revenue from salinas at several levels, not merely in terms of good quality salt production, but also by obtaining other products that can be commercialized, or by exploring their potential for tourism, and as research facilities, among others. Furthermore, with an adequate management, biodiversity can be restored to abandoned salinas, which constitute important feeding and breeding grounds for resident and migratory aquatic birds, many of which are protected by European Community Directives.The aims of this manuscript are to present a brief overview on the current state of sea salt exploitation in Portugal and to stress the importance of recovering these salinas for the conservation of this particular environment, for the regional economy, the scientific community and the general public. The Aveiro salina complex is presented in detail, to exemplify salina structure and functioning, as well as current problems and potential solutions for artisanal salinas.
Highlights
Solar salinas are man-made systems exploited for the extraction of salt, by solar and wind evaporation of seawater
In that century the artisanal salt production activity consolidated in its original regions: the Ria de Aveiro and regions south of it, with salinas in Figueira da Foz, the Óbidos lagoon, in estuaries of the rivers Tagus, Sado and Mira, and in the Algarve
After 1936, the salt industry entered a deep crisis due to the development of cold conservation techniques and the appearance of industrialized salt-winning processes that could provide higher salt production at lower cost. This situation led to a progressive decay of artisanal salt-production; a decay that peaked in the 1980s, when Portugal became an EEC/EU member and subsidies were attributed to agriculture and aquaculture, encouraging people to exchange the seasonal salt production activity for an alternative continuous activity
Summary
Dates back to 929 AD, which is before the formation of the nation, and refers to the donation of one salina in Aveiro [15]. Many salinas were abandoned and converted into aquaculture facilities, mostly because of the lack of profitability due to the economic crisis affecting the artisanal salt sector Reasons for this shift were the opening of markets, technological changes in fishing and industry, and the lack of salt workers, and the state of degradation of the Ria de Aveiro (with high pollution, increasing motorised navigation and consequent increase in the ripple of waters and the destruction of pond walls, among other causes). Communication between ponds takes place digging gullies into the ground, through openings in the dyke closed with wooden structures (sluices), or through circular openings that are closed with mud
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