Processing

The FLAG area covers the entire island of Bornholm, located in the Baltic sea to the east of the rest of Denmark and to the south of Sweden. The main industries on the island include fishing, dairy farming, and during the summer, tourism. The island’s heritage is characterised by crafts such as glass production and pottery, and a particularly large amount of round churches.

Fishing is an important and profitable activity in the FLAG area, especially along the main section of the Kymijoki River. Fish farming is also an important economic activity, with a strong tradition in the area. The existence of local centres of population, as well as the proximity of the Helsinki metropolitan region, guarantees a consistent demand for fish products.

Lapland is the northernmost part of the EU. During long winters (usually six months) the lakes are covered with a 60-80 cm thick layer of ice. The population density is very low, and the number of inhabitants is declining in most areas. The unemployment rates are high, between 13-18%. Tourism is flourishing, however, providing a growing market for local products.

The Bothnian Sea coastline and Lake Pyhäjärvi have a lengthy tradition in the fisheries sector where the main catches include vendace and signal crayfish. About half of Finland´s Baltic herring catch is landed on the harbours along this particular part of the coast. Whitefish, salmon and other fresh water species are similarly important to the area. The processing industry is also highly active here. An additional positive development in recent years has been the growth in pesca-tourism.

The Central Finland FLAG is looking for solutions to grade, scale and gut cyprinid fish, mainly roach.

The KAVALA FLAG from Greece aims to encourage private investment in processing fisheries and aquaculture products (FAPs), highlighting the new opportunities and markets.

The Bothhian Sea and Lake Pyhäjärvi FLAG from the south of Finland is open to cooperation ideas. The FLAG has long-term experience in lake fisheries and in the development of fisheries with a strong link to water quality management.

Este projeto da Organização de Produtores Vianapesca (OP) centrou-se em valorizar o pescado local através da transformação e de uma campanha de comercialização.

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

Through cooperation with local fishermen and designers, and inspired by traditional techniques from other fishing communities in Europe, a young French entrepreneur has developed an innovative fish skin tanning process and now sells her “marine leather” to fashion designers all around the country.