FARNET
Fisheries Areas Network
FLAG Factsheet
The FLAG is predominantly located in rural areas where activities such as agriculture and fishing are commonplace. The region is situated between Siret and Prut, in the north-east part of Romania. The territory boarders Ukraine in the north and Moldova in the east. At the west and south it has borders with the Suceava and Iași Counties. Other primary sectors such as services and trade are underdeveloped. Tourism is also poorly developed even though the area has rich natural and cultural resource.
Specific challenges for the fisheries sector include low investment in the fisheries sector, agriculture and industry, lack of fish processing units, obsolete equipment and technology, impracticable access ways, and not capitalising on the areas tourism potential.
The FLAG territory has four aquatic-fauna protected areas (Dorohoi - Şaua Bucecei, Acumulările Belceşti, Dorohoi - Şaua Bucecei and Iazul Mare - Stăuceni - Dracșani) covering a total of 25.4km2. There are also five protected sites of community importance with a total area of 138.5km2.
The overall objective of the FLAG’s local development strategy is the sustainable development of the Botosani and Iași Counties by promoting and supporting the growth of long-term economic competitiveness and attractiveness of the region for investment by capitalising on natural and human resources, creating new employment opportunities and improving the quality of life of residents in the area concerned.
More specifically, the strategy aims to increase the competitiveness and viability of enterprises in the Moldovan Ponds, including by improving the safety and working conditions, respectively preserving the local identity and promoting the tourist potential of the area. The strategy also aims to reduce the decline of the fisheries sector, increase the living standards of local communities, especially those involved in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
National
FLAG projects will be focused on the following:
The FLAG will make regular calls for projects which with be published on the FLAG website:
The FLAG is interested in cooperation both at national and transnational levels in order to train its own staff, acquire new skills, improve and facilitate the exchange of knowledge
The FLAG shares a territory and board members with the LEADER LAG Hill of Moldova Association (http://colinele-moldovei.ro/). The two organisations have separate local development strategies.
FLAG members include the 13 local communes (12 from Botosani County and one from Iasi County), 16 local businesses (10 of which are from the fisheries sector) and five NGOs (one of which is a fishermen’s association, one a women’s association and one an environmental actor).