FARNET
Fisheries Areas Network
FLAG Factsheet
The Galeb FLAG consists of six municipalities in the north-western part of Šibenik-Knin county which is situated in the central part of Croatia. The area’s landscape is characterised by limestone cliffs, numerous bays, and roughly 200 small islands.
The region has 135 professional fishermen who own trawlers, purse seiners and other small-scale fishing vessels. 97% of the area’s fishing fleet are less than 18m in length and 86% of the total catch is small pelagic fish for the Croatian market. Two major fishing ports are in Tribunj and Murter but there are also eight smaller ports across the region. Because the FLAG area has two national parks, one nature park and a preserved natural environment, it is a very attractive destination for tourists. As such, coastal and maritime tourism, retail, and service industries are growing in the region.
Specific challenges for the area include an under-developed fish market, poor linkages between fisheries and tourism, the lack of a fishermen’s organisations, an outdated and ageing fishing fleet, and increased competition from larger vessels.
The FLAG territory includes the Krka and Kornati national parks, the Vransko Lake nature reserve, and two protected significant landscapes, the Žut-Sit archipelago and the Krka river.
The FLAG strategy aims to strengthen the area’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors and adding value to its fisheries and aquaculture products. Centuries of fisheries activities on the area’s islands have created a rich fishing and maritime heritage. The FLAG strategy aims to promote and valorise this heritage for the benefit of tourism and further developments in the fisheries sector.
The strategy also includes maintaining environmental standards and plans to implement measures protecting the sea and coastal areas and to raise awareness in the local population of the need to preserve and protect the marine environment.
National
FLAG project ideas include:
There will be specific calls for projects and deadlines which will be published on the FLAG website
The FLAG has expertise in cooperation projects between fishermen and the gastronomy sector which it is willing to share with other CLLD groups. The FLAG is interested in transnational cooperation related to gastronomy, pesca-tourism, fisheries processing, and shipbuilding.
The FLAG shares its territory with the More 249 LEADER LAG. The LAG is a member of the FLAG’s general assembly and the two organisations share certain board members. The FLAG and LAG work together on an informal basis.
FLAG members include the local municipalities (Skradin, Vodice, Tribunj, Tisno, Murter-Kornati and Pirovac), the local LAG More 249, fishermen cooperatives Ribarska zadruga adria and Agro ribarska zadruga branitelja, public utility company Mjesno poduzeće Tribunj, several private fishers, fisheries enterprises and several NGOs.