European Union

While sea fisheries in Poland suffer from decreasing fish stocks in the main catching area (the Baltic Sea), inland aquaculture still has significant potential for growth (mainly carp). In Poland, the focus of the 36 FLAGs is more on the fisheries sector and job creation, than on the development of coastal areas in general.

In Bulgaria there are nine FLAGs, three inland and five at the Black Sea. The focus of CLLD is on diversifying activities; promoting social wellbeing and cultural heritage; enhancing and capitalising on environmental assets.

Lithuania has a relatively short coastline of sandy beaches on the Baltic Sea. The 12 Lithuanian FLAGs aim to diversify the economy of certain fisheries communities, while taking advantage of the natural and cultural heritage.

Fishing has always been an important economic and social activity in Estonia, in both coastal and inland areas. The main focus of CLLD is on increasing the value of local fisheries products – including through small-scale processing and marketing activities; supporting fishermen to diversify their activities; creating or restoring spawning grounds; and social welfare activities.

The 10 Finnish FLAGs focus on boosting and optimising activities throughout the entire value chain; promoting innovation across sectoral boundaries, creating new ways of thinking and doing business, while also ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources; and encouraging cooperation.

The 23 French FLAGs are seen as a tool to help the sector become more attractive, and to create economic opportunities through better investment conditions, better synergies among fisheries and aquaculture activities, increased added-value of fisheries and aquaculture products, and new ways of doing business.

Fishing has a strong tradition in the coastal regions and in some inland areas of Germany. CLLD in Germany aims to better take into account the multi-sectoral needs of fisheries areas (tourism, heritage, local products, etc.); to develop capacity and know-how; to simplify administrative procedures; and to promote networking with other regions and the sharing of information.

In order to increase employment and territorial cohesion in fisheries-dependent areas, the six Latvian FLAGs aim to add value and promote innovation at all stages of the fisheries and aquaculture products supply chain; support diversification; enhance and capitalise on environmental assets, including activities to mitigate climate change; and promote fisheries or maritime cultural heritage.

A four-year project to bring participative local development to the Kerkennah islands has proved that CLLD can be a valuable tool beyond the shores of Europe. Funded by ENPARD under the EU’s neighbourhood policy, the project, known as DEVLOK, has invested around €1.2M in these Tunisian fishing communities, diversifying the local economy and creating 47 new companies and 89 jobs.

Cooperating with local groups from other territories can allow FLAGs to find the complementarities or critical mass to increase the impacts of their actions. This can take place among neighbouring FLAGs, for example in order to protect or promote a common resource; at national level, for example, around a common theme, such as pesca-tourism.