FLAG Factsheet
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:
There are five protected areas found here (Valle Canal Novo, Valle Cavanata, Foci dello Stella, Falesie di Duino, Riserva Marina Miramare)
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.
National and regional
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.
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.
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.