Baltic Sea coast FLAG

Official name:

LAG AktivRegion Ostseeküste

Country:

Germany

Region:

Schleswig-Holstein

Code:

DE207

Programming period:

2007-2013

2014-2020

Area

The Ostseeküste FLAG is situated next to the capital city of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel in the north of Germany and borders the Baltic sea to the west of this city.

As a brack water sea, the Baltic offers only a relatively small number of fish species. Often, these species have developed a special habitat form due to their isolation. Important fish species here are herring, codfish, butt, salmon, sea trout and sprat.

Fishing here is mostly done by using gillnets, trawls, fish traps, long ropes and “Strandwaden”. The FLAG area has six harbours available in addition to other landing stations for fishermen.

The Ostseeküste FLAG, which also functions as the “fishery” working group within the “AktivRegion Ostseeküste”, works on many different issues. The major aim is to strengthen craft fisheries, to improve sustainable fishing methods for better protection of the sea ecosystem as well as to develop fishery communities by demonstrating the fisheries heritage as a part of the coastal culture of the area.

One focal point is the networking of fishermen, representatives of the gastronomy sector, municipalities, schools, tourism, museums, harbours and persons engaged in the cultural sector.

The challenges for the FLAG include the insufficient usage of the market potential the fisheries sector offers and a low quota of caught fish compared to the existing demand. That is due to legal limits and the politics implemented. Additionally, the consumers became more critical because of condemning media reports connecting fish farming and environmental pollution.

Type of area:

Coastal

Sea Basins:

Baltic Sea

Protected areas:

Natura 2000 areas: An EU Bird protection area and FFH-area within the German coastal sea (12 sm zone) and a Nature conservation site Bottsand

Population

35 350

Surface area (km²)

175

Population density

185

Total employment in fisheries

Women employment in fisheries:

FLAG strategy

Broad aims of the strategy include:

Diversification of fisheries
Promotion of added value in fisheries products
The ecologically and environmental friendly orientation of fisheries
Social prosperity and sea protection
The maintenance of cultural heritage of local fisheries history and coastal culture
Tourism within the context of fisheries

Themes:

Objective:

Adding value, creating jobs, and promoting innovation along the fisheries chain

Priority:

% of the budget allocated:

30%

Supporting diversification

20%

Promoting social wellbeing and cultural heritage

30%

Strengthening the role of fisheries communities in local development

10%

Funding

Total public budget allocated to the FLAG for 2014-2020:

329 412

EMFF:

280 000
MS co-financing:

49 412
Sources of co-funding:

Local

Project examples

Fisheries museum Möltenort
“Bryggen” – a bridge between fishery, coastal culture and tourism
Direct online marketing of fresh fish
Selling of fresh fish at the beach by the construction of fish cottages etc.

Good Practice

Fish traps - an alternative to gillnet-fishing in German Baltic Sea waters?

Calls for proposals

Projects can be submitted constantly to the FLAG manager or the regional management

Website:

www.ostseekueste-flag.de

Expertise & cooperation

The FLAG has experience in:

Fisheries heritage / coastal culture: The museum harbour Probstei initiated the reconstruction of a so called “Wadenboot” (fishery vehicle of the 18^th and 19^th century typically for the area) to demonstrate historical fishing by fishermen (pescatourism).
Sea environment / environmental friendly fisheries: There is a voluntary agreement concerning the protection of porpoise and diving sea ducks between the Ministry of Environment and Fisheries of Schleswig-Holstein, the fisheries organisation of Schleswig-Holstein and the organisation for fisheries protection. Fishermen within the FLAG Ostseeküste and the EU funded project “Fish from the cutter” are participating in this agreement.

The FLAG is currently developing a cooperation project with neighbouring FLAGs.

Links with LEADER or other CLLD groups

The Baltic coast FLAG is situated within the area of the “AktivRegion Ostseeküste LAG”. It has an own strategy and working group, and representatives of this working group regularly participate in the board meetings of the LAG. The FLAG and the LAG share the same management. The Baltic coast FLAG is working together with the following CLLD groups and FLAGs: LAG Ostseeküste, FLAG Schlei-Ostsee, FLAG Hügelland am Ostseestrand, FLAG Wagrien-Fehmarn, FLAG Innere Lübecker Bucht, FLAG Steinburg, FLAG Dithmarschen, FLAG Südliches Nordfriesland und, FLAG Nordfriesland Nord.

Partnership

Accountable body:

Lokale Aktionsgruppe Fischerei in der AktivRegion Ostseeküste e.V.

Members of the partnership:

The FLAG members include: municipalities, fishermen, the Thünen-Institut für Ostseefischerei (research institute under the auspices of the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture), Kieler Stadt- und Schifffahrtsmuseum (public town and shipping museum), the Lighthouse Foundation (private foundation for seas and oceans, Kiel), Aquakultur Kieler Förde (private enterprise), BUND e. V. (Environmental NGO), GEOMAR Aquarium (public aquarium of the Helmholtz centre of ocean research Kiel) and the Ostsee-Info-Center (environmental education center).

Number of individuals/organisations in partnership/general assembly:

% of fisheries actors:

34%

% of public authorities and other:

40%

% of other (non-fisheries) private / NGO sector actors:

20%

% of environmental actors:

Number of individuals on main decision-making body/board:

% of public actors:

40%

Number of contracted staff in FLAG:

0,00

Map

FLAG Contacts

www.ostseekueste-flag.de