The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s GLOBEFISH Programme has published the results of a worldwide study into the role of women in the seafood industry. The first of its kind, this report presents what is known and what remains to be investigated on this important subject, while aiming to raise the awareness of policy makers and business leaders on the essential role that women play in the industry and the inequity they experience. Despite the serious lack of data that the study reveals, the report identifies a series of cultural and societal barriers and discrimination towards women in the industry, in which they make up around 50% of the workforce. Roles between men and women, however, are sharply differentiated with women extremely dominant in sectors such as processing but largely absent in leadership positions and policy-making. Click here to access the full report and executive summary. 

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What is a FABLAB?

Imagine a local repair shed managed by DIY and IT enthusiasts. A place packed with digital fabrication tools such as 3Dprinters, open to anyone eager to learn, create, innovate and share its findings with the community. These are FABLABs, or FABrication LABoratories, and they are opening new ways for local communities to engage in innovation and reinvent the wider economy.

Why this matters for FLAGs?

Even the maritime economy is witnessing the birth of its first Maritime FABLABs: on land (@navlab) or at sea (@lab-rev), these could soon influence Bluegrowth innovation and its local ownership, and this is something FLAGs should be part of. When designing local partnerships for the next programming period, FABLABs could be local stakeholders to count on. These could hold key elements to help local economies innovate and bring tailor made answers to Bluegrowth challenges. This is why FARNET is encouraging you to meet with your nearest FABLAB.

How to find one?

To meet with your nearest FABLAB, take part to the “Axis4man eurotrip” game:

1. Download the 3D model of the #Axis4man figure: this model can then be printed on a 3D printer
2. Get in touch with a FABLAB near you, this is where you will find a 3D printer
3. Share a picture of your #Axis4man on twitter or Facebook, and add your FLAG area to his Eurotrip!

For any question, get in touch with Serge Gomes da Silva at FARNET Support Unit : sgs {at } farnet.eu

On January 24, the European Commission launched a consultation on a new framework for technical measures in the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Technical measures are a broad set of rules which govern how, where and when fishermen may fish. They are established for all European sea basins, but they differ considerably from one basin to another.

The measures can include: minimum landing sizes and minimum conservation sizes; specifications for the design and use of gears; minimum mesh sizes for nets; the requirement for selective gears to reduce unwanted catches; closed areas and seasons; limitations on by-catches; and measures to minimize the impact of fishing on the marine ecosystem and environment.

The consultation aims to gather the views of the main stakeholders on how to achieve the objectives of the reformed CFP, considering these technical measures and the governance structure within which they operate. The deadline for submissions is the 24 April 2014. 

Further details

This report presents the results from a study commissionned by DG MARE of the European Commission. It is intended to make a contribution to understanding local processes of development and diversification and the role of fisheries in coastal communities through the collection of primary data at the local level. The study focuses on selected locations within four fisheries-dependent maritime regions of the EU: Galicia (Spain), Sicily (Italy), Brittany (France) and Shetland (UK).

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