Thirty flagship projects undertaken by Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) throughout the EU were showcased last week in Brussels at a two-day conference and workshop on “Sustainable Futures for Fisheries Areas,” organized by FARNET. It was attended by several hundred delegates and chaired by Lowri Evans, EU director general form maritime affairs and fisheries.
The projects were funded under Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund, which provides support for sustainable development of fisheries, particularly for initiatives to promote economic diversification and improve quality of life in areas affected by declining fishing activities. The emphasis for Axis 4 is on local partnerships, with public, private and civil society actors working together within FLAGs to develop strategies.
Twenty-one member states are implementing Axis 4, and the EU expects that at least 200 FLAGs will be created. The total public investment in this program up to 2013 will be EUR 826.6 million.
If this all sounds complicated, well, it is. Hence the need for a conference to demonstrate to governments and FLAGs what can be achieved, and to enable them to learn from each other.
The range and diversity of projects on display was impressive and demonstrated how, in some cases, just a small amount of investment could make a big difference. For example, Salinas del Astur, which grows sea bass and sea bream, purchased machinery to make high-quality fishmeal using discarded fish and fish waste from the local auction that was previously incinerated. This reduced their overall feed costs and, encouraged by the results, the company hopes to buy from another auction and to supply other farms in the area.
Another Spanish project supported a local fishermen’s organization supplying ice to fishing boats. Following a drop in demand when the number of boats was reduced, the plant was faced with closure. However, a grant enabled it to adapt ice-making equipment to supply local bars and restaurants. A tie-in with the tourist board and local distributors to publicize the facility resulted in a successful diversification for the organization.
New products supported by the fund include an attractively packaged goose barnacle pate with seaweed and cooked peeled goose barnacles in a jar, both of which are becoming popular as tapas. They make use of small goose barnacles for which there was previously no outlet, as the fresh market demands large specimens. The project has enabled the 27 women who gather the crustaceans to learn new skills and generate much needed additional income. They are proud of the results and have named the new products after themselves — “27 percebeiros.”
Danish projects included a stock made from crab for the Japanese market, which has the potential to create 15 new jobs from a burgeoning local resource; smoked weaver fish, which makes use of a fish rarely eaten before locally; and a range of ice cream made from seaweed.
The ice creams, which were the delegates’ favorite project, make use of a previously untapped local resource and are high in omega-3s. The range includes a sugar and additive-free ice cream for people with challenged immune systems and another for athletes. Already there is considerable interest on the export market for this product, and its creators are looking at seaweed farming to generate greater volumes of raw material.
Pesca tourism projects included a shellfish nursery set up as a tourist attraction, fishing camps run by a young Swedish fisherman, a fishing adventure center in Germany, tourism training for fishermen in Finland, and adaptation of 12 boats in Mediterranean France to allow tourists to spend the day with a commercial fisherman.
Leather products made from fish skin, local fish markets, production of chitin and astaxantin from Portuguese swimming crabs and recycling of scallop shells for use in agriculture are just a few of the other projects on show.
Lowri Evans expressed delight that the Axis 4 fund was performing well and providing growth and jobs for fishing communities. “If we can add value to a dwindling resource, provide help for diversification, reduce reliance on imports and help fragile communities to thrive, then we have it right,” she said.
