Good Practice Short Stories

FISCHtival, the open air festival of concerts and food organized by the Tirschenreuth FLAG in the summer of 2015, had not expected to provide such a transformation to the local community. The initial idea behind the event was to promote the activities of the pond fishing association, which is responsible for the administration of the FLAG.

To help preserve and promote the local fishing communities of North Devon, UK, Boat stories set sail with the North Devon FLAG in 2014 to make 10 short films telling the personal stories of those living and working with boats in the area. The stories, told by the skippers or crew, open the door to a world mostly hidden to even those who live on the coast, enticing the audience to come and have a closer look.

Marine sponges are filter feeder organisms known to accumulate metallic trace elements and digest fecal bacteria from the marine environment. That’s why academic researchers from the LBCM (Université de Bretagne Sud) teamed up with shellfish farmers to explore the filtration capacities of marine sponges to improve sea-water quality in shellfish farming areas.

In Asturias, Spain, the Nuestra Señora de la Atalaya cofradía (fishermen’s organisation) has increased the tourism and cultural value of the local fisheries sector by equipping the local auction house for guided tours and educational activities.

FiskOnline has established a pathway for local fishermen to gain certification for the sustainability for their fishing activities.

In Chalastra, Greece, the local Thessaloniki FLAG helped two budding entrepreneurs establish a successful seafood conditioning and processing business, specialising in live blue crab.

In 2013, to limit the proliferation of “fake” products using the name of the local fish, “Kitkan Viisas” vendace, fishermen from Kuusamo, Northern Finland, teamed up to secure its listing in the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) scheme. To further promote this unique product, a web and mobile video game, called the Legends of Kitka, was also developed.