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Finding a Middle Way to Develop E urope's F isheries Dependent Areas: The Role of F isheries L ocal A ction G roups
Author(s) -
Phillipson Jeremy,
Symes David
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
sociologia ruralis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.005
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1467-9523
pISSN - 0038-0199
DOI - 10.1111/soru.12098
Subject(s) - fishing , clarity , typology , flags register , business , psychological resilience , geography , fishery , computer science , biology , biochemistry , archaeology , operating system , psychology , psychotherapist
Axis 4 of the E uropean F isheries F und is an important new opportunity for fishing communities which offers the prospect of integrating local territorial approaches and strategies to support the fishing sector. But what does it mean to find a ‘middle way’ where households, businesses and localities dependent on fishing are part of an integrated strategy for local territorial development? In this article we review these models of development and draw on case‐study findings to discuss how F isheries L ocal A ction G roups ( FLAGs ) provide lessons for the future. The article reveals a need for greater clarity regarding the intended beneficiaries and overarching novel purpose of A xis 4 and sets out an original typology of fisheries dependency to help guide local strategies. Looking beyond local impacts, the article argues that the success of the initiative may be judged in terms of how far steering a middle course can contribute to the broader transformation of fisheries policy and to what extent FLAGs can play a role in evidencing the resilience and vulnerabilities of fishing communities.