FARNET: the European Fisheries Areas Network

Gilles van de Walle

Urszula Budzich-Szukala

FARNET Support Unit

•What is FARNET

•How can FARNET help

•Some MA’s responses to national contexts

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What is FARNET

The Fisheries Areas NETwork (FARNET) is:A community

FLAGs

National Networks

Managing authorities and intermediate bodies (National and

Regional governments, paying agencies)

FARNET Support Unit

European CommissionA territory composed of coastal and inland fisheries areas of 21 Member

states

A philosophy emphasizing local decision making and a bottom up

approach in designing the future of your fishery area

The FARNET Support Unit (FSU) is:A team of 8 permanent staff based in Brussels

21 geographic experts

1 interdisciplinary advisory group, thinking ahead

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What is FARNET: state of play, May 2010

124 FLAGs

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What is FARNET: state of play, May 2010

CountryAverage budget per FLAG

(total public) /M€

Planned number

of FLAGs

FLAGs with selected

strategy

Latvia 1,9 24 24

Germany 1 23 20

Denmark 2,3 16 16

Spain 6 25 15

France 1 11 11

Sweden 1,5 14 10

Finland 1 8 7

Portugal 3,4 7 7

Estonia 3,2 8 8

Netherlands 1,7 6 6

Greece 5 8 0

Poland 6,5 40-50 0

UK 0,88 15 0

Italy 2,6 20 0

Romania 11 9 0

Lithuania 1,1 8-10 0

Ireland 1,2 6 0

Bulgaria 4 4 0

Belgium 5.8 1 0

Cyprus 2 1 0

Slovenia 3 1 0

Total 3,25 245 +- 124

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How FARNET can help

Aim of FSU: “the provision of technical assistance, animation,

information and capitalisation on experiences

•Axis 4 helpdesk and FAQs

•Remote or in situ Technical assistance in implementing Axis 4

•Capacity Building at local or national level

•Facilitate communication and cooperation between the partners, at national and transnational level

•Provide opportunities for exchange of good practices between MA’s as well as FLAGs

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1

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50 Kilomeetrit

8 FLAGs, average budget EUR 3.2 million

Axis 4 in Estonia corresponds to 23% of total EFF budget

FARNET presentation IT

National response example: ESTONIA

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ESTONIA – the process

Two-stage process: first the MA selected 8 potential areas...

... and provided support: capacity building and funding for the preparation of strategies (approx. EUR 70.000 per group)

Capacity building for the groups comprised:

• Information meetings for stakeholders to introduce the draft regulation

• Training in 2 parts: (a) creating local partnerships (FLAGs), (b) developing vision and strategy

• Comprehensive handbook

Time frame: from assessment of initial proposals (Aug.-Sept. 2008) to evaluation of full strategies (July 2009); approval of last groups – early 2010

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11 FLAGs, average budget EUR 1 million

Axis 4 – only 2.6% of total EFF budget

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National response example: FRANCE

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FRANCE – the process

One stage selection process, all coast eligible

The 11 FLAGs were selected from among 17 applicants

Information meetings for stakeholders:

• 2 seminars explaining the specificity of Axis 4 approach in the context of fisheries

• Regional workshop for potential applicants

Selection based on:

• Description of area and SWOT

• Partnership and strategy (including action plan)

• Budget

Evaluation involved regional as well as national level, and external experts; followed by negotiations with the groups

Time frame: from 2 seminars (October 2007), launch of the call (June 2008 with deadline of 31 October 2008), last contract signed in early 2010

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Other national responses

Latvia – no capacity building, but all selected FLAGs (24) have Leader experience

Galicia, Spain (7 FLAGs, average budget nearly EUR 6 mio):

• consciously selected non-Leader areas to enable coastal communities to experience the territorial approach;

• technical assistance contracted to support the MA in developing documentation and carrying out selection;

• support (guides, website, online tools) also provided to the groups to develop strategies.

Denmark – very small budgets (some as low as EUR 75.000 per year); most FLAGs (11 out of 16) integrated with Leader LAGs; a common national network for both types of groups

Poland – largest Axis 4 budget in the EU (40-50 groups expected with a potential budget of up to EUR 20 million) –preparatory training for local stakeholders, training for evaluators provided by FARNET

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How FARNET can help: other tools

•The website:

Knowledge & experience databaseEventsNewsAn Axis 4 toolbox

•Social networking tools: the online FARNET community

•Communication tools: magazine and newsletter

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the online FARNET community: example

FARNET Template presentation

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• Vertical integration along the supply chain

• Innovations in processing: smoking, canning, etc.

• Innovations in marketing and distribution.

• Shorter circuits

• Collective marketing.

• Labels of origin and ecolabels

• Innovations in the application of information technology.

• Internet selling

• Traceability

Is there potential for increasing value added in fisheries without

increasing fishing effort?

What type of projects?

Adding value to fisheries products

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Link - image courtesy of http://www.pointe-de-bretagne.fr

FLAG Nord Denmark AXIS 4: Skagenfood

•€22 000 grant from the FLAG: purchase of a packaging machine and promotionalmaterial for marketing a range of ready made seafood dishes

•Skagenfood employs 18 people and sells fish and seafood packs to individual customers viathe Internet.

•10 000 expanded polystyrene boxes leave the company’s packing unit each week for DK

Adding value: « Skagenfood »; innovation in packaging and shipping of local fisheries products

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Diversification

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• Tourism (including pesca tourism)

• Green products and services (environmental protection,

waste management, energy saving, alternative energy, ...)

• Social services and jobs (child care, old peoples care,

working with schools, health,…)

• Smart products and services (uses of IT, creative and cultural

industries, design and research, …)

How to promote diversification into other sectors? How to create alternative

sources of employment

What type of projects?

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•€23 000 grant from the FLAG

•Covered 43% of the cost of adapting his boat.

•“North Sea Fishing”: employs two people, proposes fishing trips costing between €50 and

€120, customers can fish and keep their catch.

Country Denmark

Name Fiskeri LAG Nord

Area North Juntland

Budget € EU Nationa

l

Total

Total (2007-

2009)

762,781 293,377 1

056,159

Average per

year

254,260 97,792 352,053

Area 3 920 km2

Population 236 311 inhabitants (2009)

Density : 60 inhab./km2

Contact Fiskeri LAG Nord c/o Lars

Hedegaard Vestre Strandvej

10 – DK-9900 Skagen

Tel. : +45 9845 8007

website www.fiskerilagnord.dk

Diversification in fishingtourism

FLAG Nord – Denmark. Axis 4

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The environment, culture and society

Is there potential for improving the linkage between fisheries

and other pillars of sustainable development?

• Signposting, thematic itineraries and paths

• Museums and interpretation centres

• Rehabilitating historic buildings associated with fishing

• Cultural and social centres

• Preserving the areas natural heritage

• Environmental services

• Training

• Research on cultural and natural assets – joint work with scientists

• Territorial marketing, generic publicity

What type of projects?

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Total budget EUR 260 000 (LIFE EUR 200 000)

Link and image courtesy of http://www2.dao.ua.pt/esgiramaria/

• Refurbishment of traditional fish landing places

• Valorisation and dynamisation of local salt marshes

• Development and management of protected zone of landscape of special interest

• Proposing new activities compatible with traditional activities and the protection of the

environment through the creation of a multistakeholder partnership

ESGIRA-MARIA - Ria de Aveiro, Portugal

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Governance

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Is there potential for increasing the voice of fisheries communities in the

governance of local development?

FLAG activities and events which improve links to:

• Local Resource Management Plans, Local Marine Reserves….

• Integrated Coastal Zone Management

• Rural and Local Development Plans and Agencies

• Links to broader strategies for Integrated Marine Policy

(Baltic, North Sea….)

What types of projects?

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Thank you for your attention!

FARNET Support Unit

36-38 rue Saint Laurent

B - 1000 Bruxelles

+32 2 613 26 53

ubs@farnet.eu

www.farnet.eu gilles.vandewalle@farnet.eu