FARNET
Fisheries Areas Network
FLAG Factsheet
The territory of Basque Coast FLAG is located on the Atlantic Ocean, at the bottom of the Bay of Biscay, on the Spanish border of the Basque Country. With a population increase of over 20% between 1999 and today, the area’s strong demographic dynamics concern both the coast and the hinterland and impact its entire economy. Urban centres are present and influential (Biarritz, Bayonne), and although agriculture and fisheries remain dynamic activities, the residential economy is becoming a major source of revenue for the territory. The maritime identity of the area is strong and sustains many economic sectors: port activities, tourism, sailing, fishing, marine aquaculture, etc.
Over 100 fishing vessels operate in the different ports of the “Landes” and the Atlantic Pyrenees: Capbreton, Bayonne, Anglet and the Adour estuary, Saint-Jean-de-Luz / Ciboure and Hendaye. The fleet is predominantly made up of small-scale inshore fisheries with boats under 12m doing daytime (or night) tides of less than 12 hours; and fishing techniques are diverse: trawl, net, longline, purse seine, line, sieve, traps. Vessels may have one trade all year round or diversify depending on the season and target species.
The FLAG area has a fish auction on the port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz / Ciboure. With 10 665 tonnes of fishery products landed and sold at this auction in 2016, for a value of over €30M, it ranks number 1 of the auctions of the New Aquitaine Region and 5th in value in France.
By building on the dynamics initiated in the territory with Axis 4 of the EFF, the challenge of the FLAG for its CLLD programme under the EMFF is to improve the socio-economic balance and the place of the local fisheries sector in the territory in relation with the other marine and coastal actors.
Six Natura 2000 under the Birds Directive, covering 281 km2 or 18% of the FLAG area.
Thirteen Natura 2000 under the Habitats Directive, covering 306 km2 or19.5% of the area.
The strategy of the Basque Coast FLAG aims to strengthen the socio-economic importance of the local fisheries sector and improve the recognition of its role in local development and spatial planning.
Building on the achievements of EFF Axis 4 in 2007-2013, and in line with the strategic priorities of the EMFF, the FLAG strategy is structured around two complementary axes:
1. Adding value to people and to products: maximizing social inclusion and bringing value added to local seafood
2. Strengthening sustainably the role of the fisheries sector in the territory, on land and at sea.
This strategy is divided into five operational objectives:
Regional: €990 000
National: €60 000
The FLAG has an experience in promoting the fisheries sector; placing local products in collective catering and recycling used fishing gear. It would like to cooperate on:
Details of possible specific projects envisaged for cooperation:
The territory of the Basque Coast FLAG partly covers the territories of two LEADER groups, from Pays Adour Landes Océanes to the north and Basque Mountain LAG to the south.
The Director of the Pays Adour Landes Océanes, which manages the Adour LEADER LAG, is a member of the Selection Committee and the Technical Committee of the FLAG. The Manager of the Basque Mountain LEADER LAG is also member of the Technical Committee of the FLAG. Both participated actively in the development of the FLAG’s strategy and are expected to participate in the multi-stakeholder consultation that will be put in place for the implementation of our strategy.
FLAG members include:
