Governance

The Land of 1000 Ponds is in the Northeast of Bavaria, close to the border with Western Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is one of the oldest agro-cultural landscapes in Europe and is formed by more than 4 700 fish ponds, some of which have been verified as being more than 800 years old.

Fishermen often find it difficult to obtain loans. Because they do not always fit the standard profile of a borrower, they can be categorised as ‘non-bankable’. Recent discussions with the local fishermen made clear the need for the FLAG to provide them with a more accessible credit system to help fund their initiatives.

A year prior to the launch of her Axis 4 supported research on social relationships and communication in fisheries communities, Monica Palladino was on holiday on the Costa Viola, a part of the Calabrian coast hosting several fisheries strongholds. There, she came to the conclusion that, if she was to understand the fishermen’s professional relationships, she would herself need to become part of their network...

The “Cabaz do mar” or basket of the sea is a short chain marketing scheme set up by a partnership between TAIPA, a local development company, and an association of inhabitants and fishermen in Azenha do Mar.

During a public consultation on the development of the Larnaca Famagusta FLAG strategy (2007/2014), local fishermen expressed a desire to acquire new knowledge and skills in areas that would help them to diversify their sources of income.

The area covers the municipalities of Alcácer do Sal, Grândola, Sines, Santiago do Cacém, Odemira. In economic terms, the FLAG area is characterised as having a low business density, with agriculture and tourism being the most important sectors. A restructuring of the local economy is, therefore, an essential element of any local development strategy.

The harvesting of goose barnacles (Pollicipes pollicipes) is an important economic activity in the Berlengas archipelago, located north of Lisbon around the Peniche peninsula.

The FLAG is located in the middle of the north western coastline of Spain facing the Atlantic Ocean. The coastal territory of the Ria Arousa FLAG is a horseshoe-shaped area around the wide mouth of the tidal river of the same name and includes a number of islands.

The area forms a geographical entity around the mouth of the Lérez River in the South West of Galicia, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Pontevedra, where it creates Pontevedra's ria, having 6 municipalities. The boundaries are characterised by natural landmarks: The Lanzada isthmus in the North, the Cabo Udra in the South, the islands Ons and Onza in the West.

The FLAG area covers 11 municipalities in the south of Galicia and is bordered by Portugal to the south. It includes Vigo, the biggest city in Galicia and the largest fishing harbor in Spain. There are 12 other ports in the area mainly in the north (with 10 auctions and 4 marinas). In the north, fishing is an important activity, whereas to the south, shellfish activities, processing and canning.