Friuli Venezia Giulia FLAG

Official name:

GAC FVG/Aries Azienda Speciale della Camera di Commercio Venezia Giulia

Country:

Italy

Region:

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Code:

IT-FVG-IT201

Programming period:

2007-2013

2014-2020

Area

The FLAG covers the municipalities of Duino-Aurisina/Devin Nabrežina (in the Province of Trieste) and Marano Lagunare (in the Province of Udine) in the of Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, in North-Eastern Italy. The area is characterised by a high-quality coastal and lagoon environment, hinterlands full of valuable historic centres, and a well-developed coast including resorts and facilities dedicated to nautical leisure and sport. Management systems for natural resources protection are present and oeno-gastronomical tourism is well developed.

The fisheries here, despite the large number of fishermen, account for a low amount of regional GDP and are made up of small-scale fishing activities both at sea and in the lagoon. Many fishermen have re-converted into aquaculture farmers, particularly the bivalve mollusc farming of mussels and clams.

Challenges faced in the area include the following:

Although seaside tourism is well developed, it needs to be renewed, and there is scope for creating linkages with the fisheries sector;
In order to maintain incomes into the future, fishermen will need to upskill and diversify their activities;
Aquaculture farmers need to invest in food safety and food quality of products (not the quantity), in order to comply with legislation and develop marketing possibilities.

Type of area:

Coastal

Sea Basins:

Mediterranean

Protected areas:

There are five protected areas found here (Valle Canal Novo, Valle Cavanata, Foci dello Stella, Falesie di Duino, Riserva Marina Miramare)

Population

18 656

Surface area (km²)

256

Population density

Total employment in fisheries

393

FLAG strategy

The FLAG’s strategy focuses on diversifying activities to increase the income of fishermen (through tourism, innovation in fish farming and lagoon breeding), and on adding value to fisheries products (through direct sales, processing, catering, improving access to markets and improving the health and safety of fish).

Main actions include training activities for fishermen, support for businesses, infrastructure investments by municipalities for the benefit of the fishing communities, support for cooperation between stakeholders and sectors in the area and enhancing inter-regional and transnational cooperation.

Themes:

Objective:

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

Priority:

% of the budget allocated:

40%

Supporting diversification

40%

Promoting social wellbeing and cultural heritage

10%

Strengthening the role of fisheries communities in local development

10%

Funding

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

3 661 578

EMFF:

1 830 789
MS co-financing:

1 830 789
Sources of co-funding:

National and regional

Project examples

Support for pesca-tourism and itti-tourism activities;
Support for the joint promotion of tourism services in the area;
Support for processing of less commercially viable fish species (pesce povero);
Research on new fishing methods and new marketing possibilities for local species that currently are not commercialised;
Support for short circuits and access to new markets and the development of commercial networks;
Realisation of medium-sized infrastructure interventions in municipalities of the FLAG area (e.g. a processing laboratory, a computerised auction system, access roads to landing areas);
Support for “vallicoltura” (lagoon fish breeding activities);
Support for the creation of new procedures for food safety management in the bivalve molluscs’ market;
Promotion of the area and its local products.

Good Practice

Cooperating to preserve protected species and fishing businesses

Calls for proposals

Thematic calls will be issued two to three times a year.

Website:

www.gacfvg.it

Expertise & cooperation

The FLAG has experience in transnational cooperation projects (with Slovenia and Croatia) and cooperation projects with other FLAGs in the Adriatic (Veneto and Emilia Romagna) on issues such as pesca-tourism (Slovenia), and managing discards from the sea. Contacts are established with some Croatian FLAGs to launch a cooperation project under the INTERREG Italy-Croatia programme.

The FLAG is interested in cooperation projects dealing with diversification of activities in the fishing industry; fishery resources management in small-scale fishing; exploitation of less commercial species (jellyfish, sea cucumber, algae, sponges, sea snail, etc); and Slow tourism initiatives.

Budget envisaged for cooperation:

50000.00

Links with LEADER or other CLLD groups

The FLAG informally coordinates with the Carso-LAS Kras LAG in the territory. The FLAG cooperates with other FLAGs in the Adriatic (Veneto and Emilia Romagna) and with FLAGs in Slovenia, and Croatia.

Partnership

Accountable body:

GAC FVG/ARIES Azienda Speciale C.C.I.A.A VG

Members of the partnership:

The membership of the Friuli Venezia Giulia FLAG consists of the three municipalities, fisheries associations and cooperatives, the chamber of commerce, the confederation of trade unions, the WWF and the union of agriculture and industrial food.

Number of individuals/organisations in partnership/general assembly:

% of fisheries actors:

27%

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

10%

% of environmental actors:

27%

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

% of public actors:

20%

Number of contracted staff in FLAG:

2,00

Map

FLAG Contacts

www.gacfvg.it