Gargano multifund LAG

The Gargano F/LAG area is made up of a peninsula in northern Apulia. A part of it was covered by the former GAC Lagune del Gargano. It is located along the Adriatic Sea, in the south and front of the Tremiti Islands and on the so-called “spur” of the Italian boot. It is a coastal environment that presents a rich biodiversity: there are dunes and damp areas where protected species such as the big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri) and eels grow. The hinterland is mostly made up of pasture and holm oak, beech and durmast woodlands.

Two coastal communities, Lesina and Varano, have had an important role in the cultural and social development of the area. The fishing sector accounts for almost 4% of total employment, and is based on small scale fishing, aquaculture, lagoon fishing and mollusc farming.

Thanks to fisheries and tourism, the coastal area is more developed than the mostly rural hinterland. The main challenge for this area is to integrate coastal and rural development. Having 21 preserved natural zones and a National Parks, the area has opportunities as well as challenges for the economic growth.