FLAG Factsheet
The FLAG area is situated in the western part of Sicily and the region’s economy is largely dependent on the sea. Fishing and canning are the two main local industries and fishers typically catch tuna using the ‘mattanza’ technique. Coral, salt, marble and marsala wine are also an important export. The area’s coast is lined with several salt-pans.
The area has four main fisheries ports: Marsala, Mazara del Vallo, San Vito Lo Capo and Trapani. Of these ports, Mazara del Vallo Mazara del Vallo is commercially important as it caters for sea fishing boats throughout the Mediterranean. Tourism and the regions local food and wine production are assets which the FLAG aims to exploit as part of its local development strategy. Diversifying fisheries into other sectors such as tourism is a key challenge for the area.
The FLAG area includes seven protected natural reserves (Riserva Naturale Orientata Zingaro, Riserva Naturale Orientata Saline di Trapani e Paceco, Riserva Naturale Orientata Monte Cofano, Complesso Boscato Sparagio, Complesso Boscato Martogna, Complesso Boscato Madonna Ciavolo, and Riserva Naturale dello stagnone).
The FLAG’s strategy is focussed on the following:
Regional and national
Projects for the FLAG will be focused on the following themes:
The FLAG makes regular calls for projects which will be published on the FLAG website
The Trapanese FLAG has international cooperation experience with the ItineraMED project and is interested to developing this project further with the other FLAGs in the Mediterranean.
The consortium of municipalities of the Trapani province has signed a cooperation agreement with the Trapanese FLAG and the LEADER LAG Valle del Belice and will lead and coordinate all tourism development activities in the area. The FLAG also informally works with the LEADER LAG Elimos.
FLAG members include the nine municipalities (Mazara del Vallo, Petrosino, Marsala, Paceco, Trapani, Erice, Valderice, Custonaci, San Vito lo Capo), fisheries cooperatives, craft organisations and civil society entities.