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