Small-scale and coastal fisheries

Lake Võrtsjärv is the second largest lake in the Baltic countries and the largest lake in Estonia. The lake is covered with ice, on average, 130 days a year (from the end of November until mid-April). Total catches in the FLAG area have fallen in recent years which is a challenge. This is due, in large, to a decline in consumer demands for smaller bream

The Harju FLAG area covers 530km of coastline along the Gulf of Finland and features numerous peninsulas and bays. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is situated centrally in the area and offers local producers access to a substantial market. Tallinn also draws a relatively young workforce to the area and offers wide-ranging tourism opportunities.

Rügen is an island in the Baltic Sea and the largest in Germany. It is known for its beaches and white chalk cliffs which span coastline of approximately 574 kilometres. The island is also well-known for the Jasmund National Park which his home to primeval beech forests and white-tailed eagles.

The FLAG is situated next to the capital city of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel in the north of Germany and borders the Baltic sea to the west of this city. As a brack water sea, the Baltic offers only a relatively small number of fish species.

Unusually for Ireland, the FLAG area has a relatively strong urban structure with 22 settlements falling into the aggregate urban area category of over 1,500 inhabitants (14 of which are at close proximity to the coast).

The South FLAG area covers the coast of County Cork including seven West Cork Islands, from the Kerry–Cork boundary West of Lauragh, in Kerry to the river at Youghal. The fleet in the area is distributed across many small harbours and piers all along the coast.

The East Finland FLAG covers the large lake area of Saimaa located across four eastern provinces of Finland. There is a great potential to develop fisheries due to the large lake area, underexploited fish stocks, good demand for fish and excellent water quality.

Kainuu-Koillismaa is an area of dispersed settlement in North-East Finland with hundreds of lakes. The fishing traditions are strong and vital both among professional and non-professional fishermen. The lakes are mostly underfished and aquaculture has great potential.

The area has an excellent climate, is rich in natural resources and landscapes, and has a rare flora and fauna. The fisheries sector in the area is considered particularly important because it creates jobs and offers healthy products to the people.

Kerry is one of the most sparsely populated counties in Ireland with the most rural and peripheral areas in the county experiencing declining populations over the last 20 years. This is especially true of the coastal regions.