FARNET
Fisheries Areas Network

Good Practice Short Story

Blue crab supports blue growth in northern Greece

ID: 
GPS003-GR03
In Chalastra, Greece, the local Thessaloniki FLAG helped two budding entrepreneurs establish a successful seafood conditioning and processing business, specialising in live blue crab.
Our company met the local FLAG during the programme dissemination actions and we established a close collaboration. During the implementation of our project, the FLAG supported us financially but also by providing valuable information and technical assistance, especially in relation to developing the project proposal, which was a new experience for us. We hope to deepen this collaboration in the future, for example, to support the integration of environmental friendly technologies and production methods.

Chalastra, located in the Thermaikos Gulf, is a well-known fishing area, renowned for its blue crab. In 2012, two local specialists in aquaculture and fish pathology, Panagiotis Aggelidis (55) and Akrivos Anagnostidis (33), spotted an opportunity to add value to this local resource, which local fishermen discarded, believing it to have no commercial value.

In October 2012, with Axis 4 support, they set up the Blue Crab Company, a seafood conditioning and processing business operating from an old refurbished fish tavern.

The 300m2 premises is comprised of three distinct areas: a fish, crustacean and shellfish conditioning area; a chilling room area for octopus, cuttlefish and crabs; and a preparation area for sauces and light seafood dishes. The flagship product is live blue crab, which is caught using traditional methods and supplied primarily to Asian communities across Europe and to China. The product is sold to intermediates as well as directly to consumers.

The company has created five jobs and had a turnover of €270,000 in its first year of operation. It works with around 25 local fishermen, who catch blue crab, as well as other fish and shellfish species. The fishermen are regularly updated on the stocks required, which they then deliver to a specified location for collection. If necessary, excess stock is stored in special water tanks. 

View the Thessaloniki FLAG factsheet (programming period 2007-2013)

 
 

Funding

Budget €451 775,4
EU contribution €203 299
  • EMFF: €203 299
Other public contribution €67 766,4
  • National: €67 766,4
Private contribution €180 710

 

 
 

Organisations

Blue Crab PC

Contact details

FLAG Contacts

Mr. Vasilis Papavasileiou
+30 231 041 2050
Greece
Publication date: 
30/11/2015
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