FARNET
Fisheries Areas Network
FLAG Factsheet
The area covers eleven municipalities in the province of Reggio Calabria and nine municipalities in the province of Vibo Valentina (compared to seven municipalities in the former GAC dello Stretto). Apart from some flatlands in San Ferdinando and Gioia Tauro, over 90% of the territory is classified as littoral hills. The population is aging, as confirmed by a dependency ratio of 0,5. The workforce is focused on the tertiary sector, followed by industry and agriculture.
For the fisheries sector, the number of active enterprises is 78: fisheries are the most important activity (80.77% of enterprises), while there are only three non-operational aquaculture plants, with no employees. Revenues are higher for purse seine fishing and trawlers, while small-scale fishing has lower economic productivity. Naval shipbuilding activities employ another 20 people in the main port facilities. The concentration of fish processing plants is significant here, as they make up 81.82% of companies in the whole region. The town of Villa San Giovanni is the waypoint for traffic to and from Sicily.
Sustainable development of the coastal area, based on integration between environment, tourism and fisheries and with the participation of all citizens is a challenge. The FLAG addresses the entire local community with the aim to raise the level of knowledge and skills for creating new professionalism and new small businesses in the area.
20 Sites of Community Importance are included or in proximity of the FLAG area, e.g. Special Protection Area “Costa Viola”, famous for its terraced vineyards with dry stone walls, the "Area del Pantano di Saline Ioniche” oasis for the protection of wildlife and flora of the brackish waters, and the “Aspromonte” national park.
The FLAG aims to support the fishermen's communities and those involved in coastal development. It intends to promote a holistic vision for the area built by participative processes. Involvement of technical skills provided by urbanists, architects, anthropologists, agronomists, economists and biologists, together with traditional knowledge of the local community will ensure a sustainable and long-term development of the area.
FLAG actions will support training; dissemination of knowledge and innovative practices; diversification of activities; improvement of safety, hygiene and health; creation of new spaces and facilities for the local community; building a network for scientific and fisheries experts; improvement of tourism services related to fishing.
National and regional
The FLAG foresees a transnational cooperation project "Territories and traditions of stock fish: territories, techniques, gastronomy".
The FLAG has participated in the transnational cooperation project called SHADES (Sustainable and Holistic Approaches to Development in European Seaboards), where FLAGs from Calabria, Lithuania, Poland and Spain exchanged experiences and methods for integrated management of coastal areas.
The FLAG is interested in interregional and transnational cooperation for exchanging good practices and operational tools for integrated management of coastal areas.
The FLAG shares a territory with a local LEADER LAG with whom they share board members. They also have a common Programme Management Committee which allows them to share strategies. The FLAG also cooperates with other FLAGs nearby and throughout Italy.
Members include all municipalities in the territory, fisheries cooperatives, maritime associations; trade associations, chamber of commerce, artisan and agriculture cooperatives.