Gouvernance

The FLAG area covers the six coastal municipalities of the region of Murcia in southern Spain. It stretches over 312km of coastline and includes the biggest saltwater lagoon in the Mediterranean, the Mar Menor. The local economy is based strongly on tourism in the north of the area, especially around the Mar Menor.

The Småøerne FLAG covers 11 islands scattered throughout the seas around Denmark. This is an important change as the FLAG previously covered all 27 islands of the Småøerne LEADER LAG. However, due to budget cuts for CLLD funding and an area reduction as outlined in the fisheries Operational Programme, the FLAG now focuses on specially designated areas experiencing both a decline in population and a decrease in fisheries employment.

The FLAG is located along one of Sweden's four national rivers famous for salmon and trout fishing, both by professional fishermen and recreational anglers. The Vindel river system is one of the best protected Swedish rivers. Fishing in the area (especially for trout and salmon) is regulated in different ways by national rules.

The area is situated in the north-eastern part of Pomerania, in the Kaszuby Lake district. There are over 100 lakes and several rivers, the total surface of waters is over 6,000 hectares (nearly 5% of the FLAG area). Most of the lakes are owned by the state, others are rented by small family businesses which carry out extensive fish production.

The FLAG territory covers both the Ria de Muros e Noia and the Ria de Corcubión. The region has historically been highly dependent on fishing even though the sector has not reached the same importance as it has in the south of Galicia.

The Marennes Oléron FLAG covers a rural and coastal territory whose natural and agricultural landscapes represent 85% of the area (40% of which are marshes). Tourism and primary sector activities are important components of the local economy, along with services and commercial activities.

Cornouaille, on the western part of Brittany, has a 330km coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. The FLAG area counts 130 000 jobs and its key industries include food processing, tourism and commercial fisheries. 20% of the fish landed in French ports is landed in Cornouaille

Des pêcheurs de pétoncles ont fait équipe avec des scientifiques pour étudier la possibilité d’élever des pétoncles blancs dans l'estuaire de Vigo afin de diversifier leur activité et améliorer sa durabilité.

The 2003-2013 period in Sweden saw a number of exchange visits with FLAGs from other Member States, including exchanges that led to projects to introduce new approaches to other countries. In 2014-2020, FLAG cooperation is not mandatory in Sweden, but FLAGs had to indicate in their strategies how much funding they planned to allocate to it.

FLAG areas in Denmark are focused on the few remaining small-scale fisheries communities. As such, cooperation activities are expected to focus on supporting small-scale fisheries businesses, attracting young people to work in fisheries and diversifying activities.