Galati FLAG | FARNET

Official name:

Asociatia pentru Dezvoltare Durabila Prut Dunare Galati

Country:

Romania

Region:

Galaţi

Code:

RO203

Programming period:

2007-2013

2014-2020

Area

The FLAG is located in the southeast of Galati county. Apart from the Danube, the FLAG area also includes two main rivers, the Prut and the Siret, lakes and ponds. Fishing here is mainly small-scale and inland.

The county of Galati has an industrial-agricultural based economy. Industry and services are mainly concentrated in the urban centres, while the rural areas are mostly engaged in agricultural activities.

Fisheries here have experienced a significant decline recently. The reasons for this include a lack of investment, the poor awareness of the development potential of the sector and a severe lack of interest from the broader community. Fishing traditions are still maintained by a relatively small number of fishermen living in isolated communities confronted with challenges such as environmental and border constraints, high taxes, inadequate working conditions and poor systems of capitalisation of products. In this context, many professional fishermen end up abandoning fishing licenses and practicing subsistence fishing only based on sport fishing rights.

Type of area:

Inland
Rural
Urban

Sea Basins:

Black Sea
Rivers and Lakes

Protected areas:

The FLAG area includes eight national protected natural areas and a natural park established by Governmental Decision. no. 2151/2004. They cover a total area of 8.820.1 hectares.

The "Lower Prut Floodplain" Natural Park is an area of high scientific value with an important biodiversity conservation role and includes 4,925 hectares of wetlands and 2,627 hectares of wetland forests and natural habitats.

Among the protected areas, seven are in the IUCN IV category and the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park is in the IUCN V category.

There are also five protected areas that are part of the NATURA 2000 Environmental Protection Network (SPA) with a total area of 32.103 ha, and seven NATURA 2000 protected areas with a protected natural habitat regime of Sites of Community Importance (SCI) totalling 13.240,75 ha.

Population

125 674

Surface area (km²)

926

Population density

136

Total employment in fisheries

187

Fishing:

142

Aquaculture:

FLAG strategy

The goal of the LDS is "to promote economic growth, diversification, social inclusion and job creation within the fishing and aquaculture communities in the Prut-Danube Galaţi fishing area".

The FLAG strategy aims to:

Increase competitiveness and promote local economic development;
Enhance and capitalise on the environmental strengths of fishing and aquaculture areas, including operations aimed at mitigating climate change;
Promote socio-cultural valorisation of the fisheries area as well as strengthening the role of fisheries communities.

Themes:

Objective:

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

Priority:

% of the budget allocated:

48%

Supporting diversification

Enhancing and capitalising on the environmental assets

36%

Promoting social wellbeing and cultural heritage

Strengthening the role of fisheries communities in local development

Funding

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

2 000 000

EMFF:

1 700 000
MS co-financing:

300 000
Sources of co-funding:

National
Funds:

Other(s)

Project examples

Informing and raising awareness within the local community, focusing on vulnerable and young people in terms of sustainable exploitation of natural resources;
Activities to strengthen fisheries representation structures by exchanging experience and best practices as well as networking between fishermen and research institutes;
Investments in machinery and equipment for the preservation and improvement of the natural environment to facilitate fishing and aquaculture activities;
Investments in improving and replacing commercial fishing infrastructure and the application of related ecotechnologies in fisheries and aquaculture systems that may complement these activities;
Investments in the mitigation of climate change (ecological rehabilitation of lakes, ponds and accumulations of water by de-clogging, cleaning, etc.).

Good Practice

Teaching young people about fisheries

Calls for proposals

The strategy foresees annual calls for projects.

Website:

www.flagati.ro

Expertise & cooperation

The FLAG is interested in cooperation, on both a national and transnational level, in the field of tourism and the economic and social promotion of the FLAG.

Budget envisaged for cooperation:

150000.00

Links with LEADER or other CLLD groups

The FLAG does not share a legal structure with the local LEADER LAG but their territories overlap.

Partnership

Members of the partnership:

The FLAG membership includes Galati county council, the research development institute for aquatic ecology, fisheries and aquaculture of Galati, the local chamber of commerce, industry and agriculture of Galati, the small and medium enterprises association, the ecological consultancy centre, the Romanian communes’ association - Galati county branch, the cross-border cooperation association "Euroregion Dunărea de Jos" and the local fisheries producers group "Lotca" Galati.

Number of individuals/organisations in partnership/general assembly:

% of fisheries actors:

10%

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

80%

% of environmental actors:

10%

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

% of public actors:

40%

Number of contracted staff in FLAG:

4,00

Map

FLAG Contacts

www.flagati.ro