Smart coastal areas : a guide for FLAGs.
Date: 2020-07-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Subjects: coastal region, innovation, regional cooperation, social integration, sustainable development, sustainable fisheries, user guide

ISSN 2363-4030

G U I D E   # 1 8

Smart Coastal Areas:  
A Guide for FLAGs

EN

Authors:

Richard Freeman, Arthur Rigaud, Laura Enthoven, Gilles van de Walle

Other contributors:

Tony O'Rourke

Photo Credits:

reefwater.es (10), Iceland Ocean Cluster (11), monpecheur.com (12), Sun and Blue FLAG (13), Ria de Arousa FLAG (13), Campus Mondial de la Mer and 

Technopôle Brest-Iroise (16), innovation-mer-littoral.fr (17), Sotavento Algarve FLAG (18), Annemarie Schweers (24), smartshores.ca (38) 

Production:

DevNet geie (AEIDL/Grupo Alba)/Kaligram.

Contact: 

FARNET Support Unit  

Rue Belliard 40 | B-1040 Brussels  

+32 2 613 26 50 | info@farnet.eu | www.farnet.eu

Editor: 

European Commission, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Director-General. 

Disclaimer: 

Whilst the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is responsible for the overall production of this publication, it is not responsible for 

the accuracy, content or views expressed within particular articles. The European Commission has not, save where otherwise stated, adopted or in any 

way approved any view appearing in this publication and statements should not be relied upon as statements of the Commission’s or the Directorate-

General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries’ views. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication, 

nor does the European Commission or any person acting on its behalf accept responsibility for any use made thereof.

ISBN 978-92-76-09674-0

ISSN 2363-4030

doi: 10.2771/93606

© European Union, 2019. 

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 2 

 
Table of content

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1. Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Untapped resources, new opportunities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Dealing with invasive species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Water as a common resource in watersheds and coastal areas   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Community renewable energies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2. Innovation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Supporting Blue Bioeconomy initiatives  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Maritime clusters: Scaling up bioeconomy projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Technological innovation as a driver for smart resource use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Factsheet i: How to organise a Hackathon and why? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3. Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Ensuring basic public services: health and transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Integration through ‘Smart Hubs’ and collaboration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Remote working, one smart way of addressing depopulation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Community broadband . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Bridging the digital divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

4. Collaboration  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Smart partnerships  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Intergenerational relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Cross-field collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Factsheet ii: Stakeholder mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

5. Smart Financing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Microfinancing and credit unions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Approaches to crowdfunding  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Community crowdfunding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Financial return crowdfunding  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Developing a sustainable ‘blended’ financial model through FLAGs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Factsheet iii: Developing a successful crowdfunding campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 3 

Introduction

What is a smart coastal area? 

“A smart coastal area is a vibrant community where sharing and supporting is the reflex. It is 
a place where shared values and local pride create solutions for development, service availa-
bility and financing. Smart partnerships, networks, and the sustainable use of resources are 
keys to this way of life.”

Carl Dahlberg, Leader Bohuskust och Gränsbygd, SE

“A primary issue with coastal areas must be the provision, development, and access to smart finance. 
Barriers to financing for the micro and small enterprises in coastal areas remains a complex and 
difficult problem. A potential solution is the development of a ‘blended financial model’ for micro 
and small enterprises, which engages elements of loan financing, equity financing and crowdfund-
ing (equity / loan or mezzanine).  Such a  mix should be  flexible  enough to  assist coastal areas in 
overcoming the barriers to financial access and providing dynamic access to financial solutions.”

Tony O’Rourke, Former Professor of Banking and Finance, UK

“First, smart areas try to minimise fossil fuel consumption. Mostly because fewer fuel expenses mean 
better profitability, but there is, of course, the environmental aspect, too. One efficient way to do this is 
cooperation between fishermen, especially when it comes to logistics. Secondly, areas must be smart in 
using resources. The old equation ‘whole fish – fillets = waste’ is no longer valid. We must achieve this: 
‘whole fish = fillets + pet food + medical compounds + compounds for cosmetics industry +…’ Small 
coastal areas cannot do this alone; it is a task for the whole blue economy.” 

Markku Ahonen, FLAG Lapland, FI

“A smart coastal area is a place where people and businesses work together to use know-how, resourc-
es and infrastructure in a new and innovative way. The focus is on reducing waste and environmental 
impact, and increasing quality, utilisation and value.”

Vilhjálmur Jens Árnason, Project Manager at Icelandic Ocean Cluster, IS

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 4 

The concepts of smart and sustainable, in terms of regional development, are not new. Since the introduction of the term ‘smart’ 
by the EU in its Europe 2020 strategy1 there has been an increased interest in how the concept, originally introduced to urban 
areas (i.e. Smart Cities2), can be re-focused and utilised in rural areas (i.e. Smart Villages3). Despite multiple definitions of the term 
smart, put plainly, the concept is centred on fostering new ideas and developing more strategic ways of thinking.4 

Compared to inland areas, coastal areas have their own, and often unique, set of challenges. Furthermore, each coastal region 
is different and has its own specific needs and vision of development. As such, and as a result, how can a ‘smart coastal area’ 
be defined? Based on the experience and work related to Smart Cities and later, Smart Villages, common themes can be drawn 
upon  which  help  to  form  an  understanding  of  smart  areas  in  general  which  can  be  aptly  applied  to  coastal  regions. These 
themes include: 

Arrow-alt-circle-right  Sustainability: Smart coastal areas think in a sustainable way. They save energy, water, food, and natural, human and 

financial resources. They continue to prosper in an era of transition while reducing carbon footprints and waste.

Arrow-alt-circle-right 

Arrow-alt-circle-right 

Innovation: Smart coastal areas encourage innovation, which is not only based on technology, but also on social capital. 
A smart coastal area encourages its governance, businesses and inhabitants, to come up with new ways of doing things; 
new ways of communicating, organising, sharing and producing to develop cohesion and dynamism through innovative 
services.

Integration: Social inclusion is key. Smart coastal areas leave no one in their communities behind and provide the re-
quired services to achieve this. They enrich the lives of their communities through smarter ways of dealing with (and 
reducing) social divisions in education, gender, health, safety, and general well-being.

Arrow-alt-circle-right  Collaboration: In a smart coastal area, public services operate in an open environment. Smart coastal areas exchange 

their data and share projects making services  more efficient and effective. They  are  typically  user-focused  and create 
economies of scale.5 

Arrow-alt-circle-right  Smart financing: Smart local development is financed by a combination of the above. Local development projects are 

funded in a sustainable way, using new and innovative approaches which rely on collaboration and integration. 

The aim of this guide is to give Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) an introduction to the concept of ‘smart coastal areas’ in 
the context of these five key themes, providing technical advice and practical examples of how they can encourage and support 
smarter initiatives in their areas. This guide is based on the experiences of FLAGs themselves, the existing initiatives across EU 
coastal areas – and outside the EU when particularly relevant – and on the discussions held at the FARNET seminar on the topic. 

1 

2 

3 

European Commission (2010) ‘Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’.

For an overview, see Allwinkle, S. and Cruickshank, P. (2011) ‘Creating smart-er cities: An overview’, Journal of Urban Technology, 18(2), pp. 1-16. 

For an overview, see ENRD (2017) ‘Smart Villages’. 

4  Naldi, L., et al. (2015) ‘What is smart rural development?’, Journal of Rural Studies, 40(2015), pp. 1-120.

5  Adapted from the ‘Brussels Smart City’ Projects.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 5 

1.  Sustainability

Companies and individuals are increasingly concerned about making the best use of natural resourc-

es, for both economic and ecological reasons. The smart use of by-catches, undervalued species, and 

the optimisation of production systems are central to improving the use of local resources in coastal 

areas,  thereby  ensuring  their  sustainability. This  chapter  demonstrates  how ‘smarter’  thinking  can 

lead to better and more sustainable solutions to local challenges related to the use of marine living 

and water resources. 

Untapped resources, new opportunities 

Fish  consumption  in  the  EU  remains  centred  around  five  main  species  –  tuna, cod,  salmon, Alaskan pollock,  and  shrimp  – 
accounting for nearly half of all seafood consumed in 2016, leaving many species underutilised.6 Some Member States have 
recognised this issue and the potential of undervalued species in developing new products. Finland is one such example, as the 
Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry recently explained: 

“ This country [Finland] has a great deal of potential when it comes to increasing 

the sustainable use of fish. Up to 50 million kilogrammes of undervalued fish 

could be caught sustainably each year. In recent years, food products made 

from traditionally underappreciated fish have begun to conquer the market.”7

The question remains: how can we deal with these underutilised species, turning them into value-added products? FLAGs can 
help in encouraging local initiatives aiming to address this question. In Finland, several FLAG areas have large stocks of cyprinids 
– such as bream and roach – and there is rising demand for these species. It is important, therefore, to find cost-effective options 
to increase their consumption while ensuring profitability for fishermen. For instance, the Lapland FLAG has been supporting a 
two-year project, launched by a fishermen’s cooperative and the local municipality, to examine the economic value of minced 
cyprinid fish and identify whether there would be a viable market for the product. In parallel, fishermen are being trained to 
make minced fish from roach properly. Preliminary results showed that mincing fish for human consumption could be highly 
profitable,  convincing  the  fishermen’s  cooperative  to  buy  a  machine  for  mincing  roach  and  burbot8  in  greater  quantities  to 
meet and supply restaurant demand. Similarly, the East Finland FLAG is funding two cyprinids-related projects: the first aims 
to develop a local fishing industry around undervalued cyprinid fish products thanks to a deep-freezing innovative process; the 
second aims to establish business models to enhance the profitability of cyprinid fishing throughout the value chain.

6 

7 

EUMOFA (2018) ‘The EU fish market’. 

Finish Government and LUKE (2019) ‘Roach and other cyprinid fish are an unexploited treasure in Finnish waters’.

8  Burbot is a freshwater gadiform (cod-like) species, closely related to marine cod and ling. 

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 6 

Chapter 1 Sustainability Two fish, one hook?  

In many Finnish lakes, large cyprinid stocks negatively impact water quality. Therefore, improving the utilisation 
of the species has two main benefits: (1) it can help mitigate eutrophication as removing the fish also removes 
excess nutrients from the water and (2) value is created from underutilised species, developing a new market 
and source of income for fishermen.

Dealing with invasive species

Due to global warming and other environmental factors, changes in the distribution of marine species have been observed. 
The distribution of some species has shifted north, meaning some warmer water species are decreasing in their endemic areas, 
and as a result, are being replaced by non-native invasive species.9 These new and invasive species are accounting for a rising 
proportion of catches in certain areas and can be detrimental to other endemic commercially valuable species and to the local 
marine ecosystem. As such, some fishing communities are now forced to adapt their fishing techniques and markets. 

The Atlantic blue crab (callinectes sapidus) is one example of an invasive species causing ecological and economic damage in 
marine areas. The blue crab is native to the western coast of the Atlantic Ocean and is characterised by its voracity. In recent 
years, it has been detected in growing numbers across the Mediterranean coast. The La Safor FLAG is currently supporting a 
collaboration project between the local fishermen’s association and scientists from the University of Valencia to (1) determine 
its occurrence, abundance, and ecological impact in the region, (2) develop control measures to limit the spread of this invasive 
species and (3) establish new market opportunities. In Chalastra, Greece, the Thessaloniki FLAG helped two entrepreneurs es-
tablish a succesful seafood conditioning and processing business which specialises in live blue crab. The crab are caught using 
traditional methods and supplied primarily to China and Asian communities across Europe. Through FLAG technical support 
and funding, local fishing communities can captitalise on invasive species, turning them into new sources of income. 

Water as a common resource in watersheds and coastal areas 

All EU Member States now use river basin management plans to protect and improve water quality in rivers, lakes, estuaries and 
coastal areas. As pollution is often carried downstream, collaborative efforts between inland and coastal areas are key to ensure 
ecological continuity and the good environmental status of coastal waters. 

Some FLAGs have already contributed to the setup of collective actions to improve water quality and to ensure a management 
system which encompasses both the catchment basin and the coastal area. A good example is Cuan Beo, a community-based 
organisation  established  with  the  support  of  the  West  FLAG  (Ireland),  aimed  at  improving  the  quality  of  life,  environment, 
economy the Galway Bay area preserving its of cultural heritage. Cuan Beo set about addressing the South Galway Bay’s water 
quality  issues  by  re-establishing  the  connection  between  land  and  sea  communities,  building  cohesion  and  understanding, 
and thus ensuring the protection of the region’s marine resources. Through Cuan Beo’s engagement with the Local Authorities 
Waters Programme, the organisation was successful in obtaining priority status under the Water Framework Directive for two 
rivers that flow into South Galway Bay. More information on the project can be found here.

9 

ICES (2017). ‘Substantial changes in fish distribution identified by ICES’; Kaimuddin, A.H. (2016) ‘Climate change impacts on fish species 

distribution. Approach using GIS, models and climate evolution scenario’; Perry et al. (2005) ’Climate Change and Distribution Shifts in Marine 

Fishes’, Science, 308(5730), pp. 1912-1915.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 7 

Chapter 1 SustainabilityOther coastal communities facing similar water quality issues around Europe can replicate this approach. For example, with the 
support of the Auray and Vannes FLAG, the association “CAP 2000” in South Brittany brought together fishermen, shellfish pro-
ducers and farmers with the aim of improving water quality and the overall sustainability of coastal primary activities. Likewise, a 
former Swedish FLAG (Kustlinjen) project, focused on the Nyköping River, successfully demonstrated how effective partnerships 
can be used to implement a shared river basin management plan (more information here). Typically, other coordinated actions 
between catchment basins and coastal areas which can be initiated by FLAGs are:

  The collection of aquatic litter (such as plastic and waste which are dumped into upstream parts of rivers and end up in the 

sea or littering coastal areas).

  Awareness raising campaigns about aquatic biodiversity and ecological continuity.

  The  facilitation  of  working  groups  on  connecting  inland  and  coastal  areas  through  river  networks,  catchment  basins  and 

water bodies.

In Focus – Water Information System for Europe (WISE)

WISE  (Water  Information  System  for  Europe),  the  European  information  gateway  for  water  issues  is 
based on a partnership between the European Commission (DG Environment, Joint Research Centre 
and  Eurostat)  and  the  European  Environment  Agency. WISE  was  launched  as  a  general  public  web-
based service providing water-related information (interactive maps, graphs, and indicators linked with water quality and 
environmental status), covering inland and marine waters. This web-portal can be used both as a practical tool and an online 
EU database to guide the collective reflection on water resource management in FLAG areas.

Community renewable energies

Coastal areas, thanks to their proximity to the sea or large water bodies, benefit from specific environmental conditions (i.e. wind, 
waves, tides and the amount of natural light), making them prime locations for the development of renewable energy sources. 
The technological requirements for capitalising on renewable energy sources can vary and often depends on the maturity of the 
industry. For example, solar and wind technologies tend to be more advanced than other renewable sectors, meaning they are 
not only more reliable but also more affordable, placing them within reach of most coastal communities. 

Several community renewable energy projects are being developed across Europe, varying from small-scale projects (aimed at 
infrastructure and fitting small buildings or boats with solar panels to improve energy self-sufficiency, to large-scale endeav-
ours aimed at providing energy to a whole community. On Bere Island (South West Ireland), local fishermen were restricted to 
landing their catch during daylight hours as this remote landing site had no lighting. The FLAG put local fishermen in touch with 
a local electrical engineer to discuss their specific requirements. The engineer designed a solar battery powered light system 
independent of the mains connection that led to improved safety and working conditions for the fishermen and extended their 
working hours. 

The Eastern Asturias FLAG has supported the cofradía (fishing organisation) of Bustio to finance two projects with the aim of 
making its land-based operations 100% self-sufficient in renewable energy. The first one, implemented in 2014, consisted of 
solar panels connected to the national energy network. However, without the capacity to store energy, the solar panels could 
only supply the energy needed at certain times of the day. In order to achieve total energy autonomy, in 2017, the cofradía 
decided  to  add  storage  batteries,  allowing  surplus  energy  to  be  collected  and  used  when  needed. This  second  project  also 
included wind turbines and a biodiesel generator to cover production downturns when there is a lack of wind and sun.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 8 

Chapter 1 SustainabilityThe main objectives of renewable energy projects are to:

  reduce the cost of energy locally, 

  improve energy self-sufficiency, 

  increase reliability of energy availability (being at the end of the grid, remote areas suffer more often from power shortages) 

and 

  create/retain jobs/revenues locally. Indeed, the set-up of these schemes can benefit the local workforce for maintenance of 
the project while in some cases, community energy projects were even able to generate an income for the local community 
by selling surplus production to the national grid.

Though complexity will vary between different setups, it is often linked to the scale of the project. While developing a small 
project aimed at reducing energy consumption for individual buildings or projects is relatively straightforward and affordable 
for most FLAGs, developing a renewable energy scheme aimed at ensuring energy self-sufficiency for the whole community 
remains a complex undertaking. As with any collective endeavours, these community schemes require strong coordination at 
local level, with project leaders drawn from the community with the ability to combine a variety of skills:

  technical, to ensure a minimum understanding of the technical requirements/options and

  human, to mobilise the whole community behind the projects and help overcome likely resistance from part of the community.

The NIMBY (‘Not in my backyard’) syndrome is a common issue faced by this type of project and is associated with most people 
agreeing  to  the  principles  of  a  project,  as  long  as  it  does  not  happen  in  their ‘backyard’  (i.e.  as  long  as  they  are  not  directly 
affected by it). Participative/bottom-up approaches (such as CLLD) are key to communities adopting such projects and reducing 
the NIMBY effect, as reported by the initiators of the Samso Island renewable energy scheme in Denmark. 

With regards to financing, community renewable energy schemes are likely to be on a larger scale than average FLAG projects. 
The substantial investments required are likely to have to come from other funding sources, with the FLAG acting as a catalyst. 
FLAGs  can  coordinate  such  schemes  by  financing  pre-studies,  facilitating  community  engagement,  supporting  project  lead-
ers, and in identifying financial backers. For these larger scale projects, multiple sources of funding may have to be used (see 
5: Smart Financing for a blended financing model aimed at helping FLAGs identify potential funding sources).

Large-scale community renewable energy schemes are complex and require high levels of engagement with many fractions 
of an area’s population. This inherent complexity, however, can be turned into an opportunity, contributing to, or starting, new 
and dynamic local developments. In the case of the above-mentioned Samso Island, the community renewable energy scheme 
started a wider motion and drive to improve the overall sustainability of the island (which now aims to be fossil fuel free by 2030) 
giving a new impetus to the island’s organic and local food production sectors.

Different platforms exist to support community renewables projects, both at national and EU level. Community Energy Scotland 
is an example of the former, while Clean Energy for EU islands focuses on supporting Europe’s island communities wanting to 
transition to clean energies.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 9 

Chapter 1 Sustainability2.  Innovation

In 2012, the European Commission’s ‘Blue Growth’ initiative highlighted the role of coastal areas and 

seas as drivers of innovation for the Blue Economy.10 In addition, in 2018, the European Commission 

put  forward  an  action  plan  to  develop  a  sustainable  and  circular  bioeconomy  in  Europe.11  Merging 

these concepts, ‘Blue Bioeconomy’ refers to activities which revolve around the sustainable exploitation 

of  marine  resources  including  fishing,  aquaculture,  processing,  energy  production.  As  private-public 

partnerships  gathering  local  stakeholders  from  various  sectors  (fishing,  research  and  development, 

education, processing, etc.), FLAGs are well placed to foster and develop blue innovation. 

In Focus – BlueBio COFUND

The main objective of the BlueBio COFUND is to establish a coordinated research and development funding scheme of €30 
million to support the development of the Blue Bioeconomy in Europe. The goal is to identify new and improve existing 
ways of bringing bio-based products and services on the market with an added-value. Participating countries in the BlueBio 
COFUND are Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Norway, Portugal, 
Romania, Spain and Sweden. See the introduction movie to the BlueBio COFUND here.

Supporting Blue Bioeconomy initiatives 

Throughout Europe, FLAGs have already actively contributed to the development of the 
Blue Bioeconomy. The Galician Mariña-Ortegal FLAG has supported the creation of the 
Reef  Water  Coral  Farm,  Europe’s  first  commercial  coral  farm  which  produces  approxi-
mately  5 000  corals  annually  and  attracts  visitors  and  school  trips  from  the  region. The 
business has grown rapidly and the founders now work full-time on the farm. 

Seaweed  is  another  fast-growing  sector  of  the  Blue  Bioeconomy  and  many  FLAGs  are 
supporting  initiatives  in  this  field.  For  instance,  to  reduce  its  area’s  dependency  on  fish 
processing  the  Costa  da  Morte  FLAG  (Galicia)  has  assisted  the  creation  of  the  start-up 
company  Carbiotech  which  cultivates  microalgae  on  land  for  oil  extraction,  used  as  a 
pharmaceutical-grade nutrient (omega-3) for human consumption. The FLAG also helped 
put this company in contact with local fishermen and shellfish gatherers to identify and collect micro-algae which will then be 
grown to maturity in a specially designed plant. 

In Ireland, Blath na Mara is a company that hand harvests wild seaweed on the unspoilt shores of Inis Mór, an island on the Irish 
Atlantic coast. Its main product is organic dried, milled or whole seaweed which it markets wholesale. The West FLAG (Ireland) 
provided funding and expertise in a variety of areas, including enterprise and marketing. This has allowed for the upgrading 
of the existing premises and processing facility, which will in turn increase the quality of Blath na Mara’s product range while 

10  European Commission (2012) ‘Blue Growth: Opportunities for marine and maritime sustainable growth’.

11  European Commission (2018) ‘A sustainable Bioeconomy for Europe: Updated Bioeconomy Strategy’. 

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 10 

Chapter 2  Innovationproviding scope for new product development. It has also encouraged this family company to grow a new phase of the business, 
focusing on food and educational tourism for seaweed on the Aran Islands.

In Focus – TOPBALAT project

Many Horizon 2020 (H2020) projects are currently supporting Blue Economy initiatives, such as the H2020 TOPBALAT pro-
ject. This innovative project aims to develop a robust sea cucumber value chain. The first phase of the project will see the 
development and standardisation of a sea cucumber fishing method, along with a new generation of processing line. In the 
second phase of the development, The Topbalat team will aid interested companies in Europe in starting the utilisation of 
local sea cucumber species.12

Maritime clusters: Scaling up bioeconomy projects

A successful way to foster innovation is to gather companies from different branches of the same sector in one location to form 
what  is  often  referred  to  as  a ‘cluster’. The  proximity  and  activities  generated  between  businesses  and  organisations  (shared 
offices spaces, training sessions, workshops, social events and study visits) encourages interaction and breaks the ‘silo’ mentality. 
Each business (or organisation) shares their specific expertise, generating new business opportunities. 

In Iceland’s maritime sector, this method is embodied by the Iceland Ocean Cluster. This cluster led to the development of the 
appropriately named ‘Incredible Fish Value Machine’ (Figure 1). The ‘machine’ increased the use of fish biomass from 20% (mostly 
as food for human consumption) to 80%, with the scales, bones, guts and other non-edible parts of fish turned into profitable 
products.

THE

Incredible
Fish Value
Machine
ma de in Icela nd

Cod roes

Fish leather

Enzymes

Collagen human 
skin replacement 
from fish skin

Fish collagen from 
fish skin

Filet

Calcium 
from 
fish 
bones

Dried 
heads 
for 
soups

Fish 
protein

Medicine from 
fish liver & 
intestine

ZERO 
WASTE

Liver 
Omega oil

Figure 1: The Incredible Fish Value Machine13

12  Topbalat (2019) ‘Aurora Seafood’. 

13 

 Iceland Ocean Cluster (2016) ‘Introducing “The Incredible Fish Value Machine”’.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 11 

Chapter 2  InnovationIn Focus – Iceland Ocean Cluster

The Iceland Ocean Cluster’s (IOC) mission is to create value and discover new opportunities by connecting entrepreneurs, 
businesses,  authorities  and  academia  from  the  marine  sector. To  serve  this  mission  the  Iceland  Ocean  Cluster  provides 
a range  of  services (incubation  of  start-ups,  consulting,  research  and  development,  networking,  network  representation, 
business tours, etc.). Moreover, IOC invests in new marine spin-offs and projects. The research supported by the IOC focuses 
on seafood, by-product use, marine biotech and other marine topics. In 2019, 75 companies (140 people) were using the 
3 000m² facilities of the IOC House. One of the success stories supported by the IOC is linked to the cod industry in Iceland. 
In 1981, approximately 55% of the body of the fish was utilised. Today, this figure is up to 75-80% and a target is set to 100% 
utilisation thanks to the ‘Incredible Fish Value Machine from Iceland’. With utilisation of this magnitude, the value for each 
cod can reach up to around €8 000.

CLUSTER OBJECTIVE

Efficiency

Added Value

Recycling

Accuracy

R&D

Utilisation

Opportunity

I N C R E A S E

Environmental impact

Waste

Pollution

Discards

Inaccuracy

Bycatch

Cost

R E D U C E

Technological innovation as a driver for smart resource use

As discussed above, value chain optimisation  and the improvement of production  systems  allow  for  a  more  strategic use of 
fisheries  resources.  In  this  sense,  new  technologies  can  help  by  working  on  the  quality,  traceability  and  sustainability  of  the 
various parts of the supply chain. 

FLAGs can facilitate the integration of new technological tools into fishing communities by: financing IT training session to help 
fishermen better organise their work collectively; supporting the development of a digital tool for organising direct sales of sea-
food products; or by promoting the use of hardware and software applications for the labelling, traceability and marketing of fish. 

Two Breton (FR) FLAGs (Cornouaille and Brest) are helping a young IT developer to 
launch MonPêcheur, a digital tool for organising direct sales of seafood products. 
Direct  sales  by  fishermen  are  currently  limited  in  Brittany  and  the  sector  needs 
re-structuring. MonPêcheur aims to map out and create a reference of fishermen 
interested  in  selling  their  product  directly,  providing  them  with  an  online  sales 
platform. Through this easy to use platform, fishermen will be able to inform pro-
spective consumers about the species and volume available as well as the location, 
price and time of sales, therefore boosting direct sales in the area. Beyond the fi-
nancing of the app, the FLAG also played an important role in bringing the project 
promoter into contact with the seafood sector players and convincing part of the sector that direct sales development was an 
opportunity rather than a threat. The arguments put forward were that any initiative that promoted local fish product consump-

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 12 

Chapter 2  Innovationtion was positive in a seafood market, which is currently heavily dominated by imported seafood. In addition, given the restric-
tions in place in terms of direct sales (maximum of 100 kg/day per fisherman), the volumes involved were limited and likely to 
represent not more than 5% of all Brittany landings. 

Thanks to new technologies, seafood traceability and marketing have been highly improved over the past decade. Awareness-
raising and training of practitioners (fishermen) to improve the tracking of their production from vessel to consumer is one of 
the  actions  FLAGs  can  support  to  improve  the  sustainable  use  of  resources  while  bridging  the  digital  divide  in  fisheries 
communities. 

For  instance,  the  Sun  and  Blue  FLAG  (Sicily,  IT)  has  supported  the  development  of an 
innovative  and  reliable  IT  system  for  the  management  of  seafood  product  traceability 
and  selling. The  easy  to  use  system,  called  T-FISH,  is  an  integrated  hardware-software 
solution, that provides fishermen with tools for the labelling, compiling and transmission 
of data. Fishermen can also use the information for marketing purposes by sharing data 
on the species caught on the portal even before landing.

IT systems and mobile applications can also be useful for improving organisation and production. In 
collaboration with the local producers organisation, the Ria de Arousa FLAG helped a local IT com-
pany to develop the Xesmar platform. The platform is aimed at improving day-to-day management, 
control,  planning  and  exploitation  of  local  marine  resources.  Xesmar  is  already  used  by  shellfish 
gatherers from three organisations (Cofradías de Cambados, de Vilanova and de Vilaxoan). Thanks to 
the app, shellfish gatherers have easy direct access to information such as weather conditions, water 
quality, days of fishing closures for toxins and common organisational meetings. 

Another example is the ‘Mobile Village Shop’ supported by the Tirschenreuth FLAG in Germany. The idea behind the project is 
to combine a traditional mobile shop, in the form of a small delivery truck, with a digital platform that allows for consumers to 
order local food products online. This creates short food supply chains that include fish farmers’ products. Through the platform, 
customers can also follow the progress of the mobile shop in real time. Beyond their direct attributes, digital applications and 
new technologies bring the additional benefit of reducing the use of resources such as paper, printers and energy, while also 
contributing to strengthening the links between the fisheries sector and other stakeholders involved in the development of the 
coastal area.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 13 

Chapter 2  InnovationAppFactsheet i:  
How to organise a Hackathon and why?

Originally, a hackathon was a sprint-like event in which computer programmers and developers came together to collaborate 
intensively for a limited period of time on software projects. The concept has since then been transferred to other sectors to 
stimulate open innovation in varied contexts. A Hackathon is different from any other event because it: 

  Is limited and fixed in duration (usually 14 to 72 hours), often including overnight stay on location by participants.

  Involves of a variety of partners that are invited to co-create content.

  Focuses on solving concrete issues. 

  Is based on teams gathering multi sectorial expertise.

  Generates clear outputs responding to pre-identified issues.

The  factsheet  provides  a  step-by-step  methodology  to  setting  up  a  Hackathon  and  shares  the  experience  of  two  FLAGs 
(Brest and Cote d’Opale, France) who were involved in the organisation of a Hackathon event.

Pre-Hackathon

1.  Define the main objectives of your Hackathon. While the general objective of any hackathon is to foster innovation, it is 

best to frame the innovation you are looking to generate, for example, maritime/coastal development. 

2.  Identify potential partners in your area. To do this, create an inventory of the partners, detailing their interest in taking 
part in a Hackathon. Partners are important for: help with mobilising participants; providing financing (sponsorship) and 
resources (venue or other in-kind contributions); acting as experts. Partners are also likely to keep working on the project 
after the event.

Florence Sergent, Littoral Opale FLAG Manager:  
“Partners are key to the success of these types of events. They are there to become part of the event and not just to 
provide financial support. Partners should co-create the event and should develop ownership of the initiative.”

3.  Support  your  identified  partners  in  proposing  a  challenge  which  meets  their  direct  concerns  or,  more  generally,  a 

challenge that would address an issue in your FLAG area.

Florence Sergent:  
“A challenge allows you to test an issue and 
confront it with the fresh eyes of new stakeholders”.

Luce Demangeon, Brest FLAG Manager:  
“The key to success is gathering a diverse group of 
motivated partners motivated who believe in the 
added value of this type of event.”

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 14 

Chapter 2  Innovation / Factsheet i4.  Once  you  have  established  a  list  of  partners  and  associated  challenges,  define  the  detailed  agenda  and  logistical 
arrangements of the Hackathon: its overall progress, the ‘masterclass’ sessions (aimed at providing technical content related 
to the challenges), coaching sessions (supporting teams in their problem solving approach), meals, accommodation and 
working  spaces  etc.  Keep  in  mind  that  this  is  commonly  a  nonstop  48-hour  event,  so  you  need  to ‘take  care’  of  your 
participants (provide spaces for eating, resting and sleeping).

5.  Establish a communication plan around your Hackathon ideally at least 4-6 months in advance. Use all types of media to 

promote the Hackathon – its objective, its partners, and its methodology (agenda, tutorial session and coaching).

6.  Establish a small steering committee that meets once a month and a wider circle of partners with whom it is important to 

share the progress of the project. Listen to their proposals for developing the event and take them into account.

Luce Demangeon:  
“Consider calling your hackathon-type event by another name! Not everyone knows what it means, and in some FLAG 
areas, this might undermine participation. Furthermore, the Hackathon partners have to communicate as much as 
possible about the event and their associated challenges to reach a very diverse audience”.

During the Hackathon

1.  Ensure that each challenge has at least one group of participants. The mobilisation of teams around each challenge is 
crucial for the success of your event. Participants typically form groups of about 2-5 individuals to work on the proposed 
challenge they have registered for before the event starts. 

2.  Clearly display the schedules of the masterclass and coaching sessions. Such training workshops are useful for participants 

in order to frame challenges, putting them into context and providing thematic or methodological knowledge.

3.  Ensuring  that  those  who  proposed  the  challenges  (partners)  are  clearly  “visible/identifiable’  and  available  should 

participants need to clarify some points or ask questions related to the challenge.

4.  At the end of the event, organise a closing round table with partners and invited experts on a specific topic related to the 
main theme of the Hackathon, for example, on ‘innovation and local development’. It is important to use this opportunity 
to brainstorm and cement lasting partnerships between local actors.

5.  Bring together a balanced jury (reflecting on your territory and partners) to deliberate on project ideas that meet the 

proposed challenges.

6.  Offer rewards to participants (e.g. special prizes for the winners of each challenge).

T I P

 

Use the Hackathon as an opportunity to showcase and share traditional seafood products/meals from 
your area with participants.

Luce Demangeon:  
“Young participants (e.g. local students) brought curiosity and creativity to the discussions. Their IT skills and deep 
interest for the topic have opened new perspectives on the operational implementation of a complex subject (harbour 
litter in this case).”

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 15 

Chapter 2  Innovation / Factsheet i 
Post-Hackathon 

1.  Follow-up  on  the  different  project  ideas,  especially  the  ones  that  have  partners  that  were  particularly  interested.  It  is 

essential to show continuity to the event, both to the partners and to the groups of participants who contributed. 

2.  Raise awareness of the FLAG board members about the project ideas born during the Hackathon and inviting Hackathon 

project promoters to present their project mock-up at future FLAG meetings.

3.  Communicate intensively about the Hackathon outputs in the months following the event. Do not, however, expect a 
Hackathon to solve all your problems, rather think of a Hackathon as “a pitstop on a long journey to solve your problems”14 
and as a way to mobilise different partners and raise awareness on specific issues. 

Florence Sergent:  
“A Hackathon event is a breath of motivation inspired by local actors, from all generations and sectors. A hackathon is 
a time for sharing, and co-constructing.”

Bear in mind, however, that while a Hackathon can be organised locally, 
they can also be time and resource consuming. An option is to join an 
existing Hackathon organised by someone else. Often Hackathons take 
the form of wider, international structures spanning different countries 
or even continents. An example of this is the Ocean Hackathon, a yearly 
event  organised  by  the  Campus  Mondial  de  la  Mer  and  Technopôle 
Brest-Iroise aimed at developing new products and services based on 
ocean data. The Brest FLAG, France, managed to get a circular economy 
challenge (as one of 12 challenges) on the agenda of the 2018 edition of the event. Here, a group of engineering students, 
supported by researchers and experts from France, Canada, Ireland, the UK and Belgium worked around the clock on the 
FLAG’s challenge ‘Circular solutions to port waste’. See the Ocean Hackathon video here. 

Luce Demangeon:  
“Our participation opened up a wide range of possible interactions between the Ocean Hackathon team and the 
FLAG: testing of emerging projects, co-construction of the future strategy, the involvement of new stakeholders on 
major issues…”

14 

 Tauberer, J. (2017) ‘How to run a successful Hackathon’.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 16 

Chapter 2  Innovation / Factsheet iA Hackathon in numbers:

  A typical Hackathon might include up to 40 partners, 122 participants, 14 teams, 24 coaches, 15 jury members, and 2 

masterclasses. 

  Human resources: 1 full time equivalent (two part-time staff ) for 4 months prior to the event plus a team of 2 to 3 full-time 

organisers during the event.

  Financing sources: Region Hauts de France, Local Development Economic Agency (FLAG accountable body), sponsorships, 

local bank.

  Approximate budget: €20 000 to €25 000 of direct costs (excluding any in-kind contributions made by the various partners 

and staff wages).

In Focus – The 4th edition of ‘Weekend Innovation – Mer et littoral’

The 4th edition of Weekend Innovation – Mer et littoral took place in Boulogne-sur -Mer (France), on 14-16 March 2019. This 
edition was financially supported by the Region ‘Hauts-de-France’ while the accountable body of the Littoral Opale FLAG) 
was in charge of the organisation. 

The FLAG manager was instrumental in putting together the partnership needed 
to  make  this  event  a  success. The  Hackathon  gathered  around  120  participants 
who were organised into 14 teams to tackle 13 proposed challenges. Notably, the 
local FLAG proposed the challenge ‘reveal and value industrial waste sources’, the 
local fishing committee proposed the challenge ‘improving cohabitation between 
maritime  users’,  and  the  local  fishmongers  union  put  forward  the  challenge ‘at-
tract new talents and facilitate their settlement in the area’. 

Throughout  the  weekend,  several  masterclasses  were  offered  to  participants  in 
order to enhance their technical tools/skills to address the challenges, including 
masterclasses  on  digital  technology,  innovative  financing  and  geographical  in-
formation systems (GIS). The ideas selected by the jury are presented here, but 
the Hackathon allowed the emergence of other ideas; notably the development 
of a social enterprise that trains the long-term unemployed to map, collect, sort, 
and  valorise  industrial  waste  generated  by  the  seafood  processing  industry  of 
Boulogne-sur-mer.  Due  to  the  geographical  concentration  of  the  industry  hub, 
electric vehicles supported by a digital app assist in collecting the waste.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 17 

Chapter 2  Innovation / Factsheet i3.  Integration

Communities that manage to integrate their inhabitants are stronger and more resilient. Integration 

is,  however,  difficult  without  the  ability  to  provide  adequate  public  services.  Finding  new  ways  to 

maintain these services at local level is, therefore, crucial, and different options to do so are discussed 

in this Chapter. Public budgets and associated services are usually dictated by the size of the local 

population. New technologies and new ways of working offer possible solutions to combating the 

out-migration of young people from rural regions, as well as attracting new residents through the 

improved quality of life ‘smart coastal areas can offer. 

Ensuring basic public services: health and transport

Many coastal areas, mostly those in decline, struggle to maintain essential social services (e.g. transport, medical centres, and 
social housing), and the infrastructure essential to achieving a high quality of life and social inclusion. The level of public services 
offered  at  local  level  usually  correlates  with  the  number  of  inhabitants,  so  fighting  depopulation  is  also  a  fight  to  maintain 
services. Population sizes in coastal areas often presents strong seasonality patterns, with many areas seeing their population 
inflate by factors of 5 or 10 during the summer period. This rise in population is usually accompanied by a better provision of 
public services, public transport being a typical example. Lengthening the tourist season or spreading it across the year can 
help to maintain a higher level of public services. For example, in Finland, some coastal communities cater for different tourist 
markets  by  offering  a  variety  of  activities  such  as  ice-fishing,  cooking  classes,  boat  trips  and  fish  festivals,  which  means  the 
touristic season spans all seasons. When essential services cannot be provided directly in the territory, new technologies can 
offer interesting new avenues to answering the needs of the local population as shown by the example from Culatra Island, 
Portugal (see below). 

Virtual medical consultation services for the fishing communities, Culatra Island, PT

Workers in small-scale fisheries experience higher than average health problems due 
to  industry-related  issues,  such  as  working  conditions  (i.e.  wet  and  physically  de-
manding  environments,  and  anti-social  working  hours),  and  periods  of  unemploy-
ment. These health problems often remain untreated, partially due to the difficulty of 
getting access to medical facilities in remote coastal areas. To tackle this problem, on 
the island of Culatra, the Sotavento Algarve FLAG has encouraged a collaboration 
between a mainland medical clinic (International Clinic, Olhão), the Town Hall of Sé 
and São Pedro, and the Culatra Island Residents Association. They all came together 
to develop a remote emergency consultation service. Community members seeking 
medical advice can now go to the telemedicine clinic in Culatra, where they are re-
ceived by a resident nurse. They then enter the International Clinic of Olhão virtually, 
where a doctor performs a telemedicine consultation through a videoconference.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 18 

Chapter 3 IntegrationIntegration through ‘Smart Hubs’ and collaboration

Despite the loss of public services and the decline of local fishing sectors, small harbours in coastal areas remain at the heart of 
many coastal communities. Such harbours have the potential and space to be transformed into more sustainable, vibrant, and 
attractive community centres, offering new facilities, used for a wide range of activities. FLAGs can encourage the regeneration 
and shared use of harbour premises, turning them into ‘smart hubs’ which stimulate cooperation, growth and innovation. 

Furthermore, FLAGs can foster partnerships by integrating marine activities and infrastructure into the local community’s day-
to-day life. The Hästholmen Harbour and its local community are a prime example of this. Situated in the south of Sweden, 
the management and operation of the harbour rely on a collaboration comprised of a local real estate company, several rep-
resentatives from the Hästholmen village community and various other associations and stakeholders. This ‘smart partnership’ 
works together, actively seeking project funding with the support of FLAG Vättern. To date, the following projects have been 
implemented thanks to EU funding:

  The establishment of a plan for the re-development of the port.

  The installation of a ramp with a warming device (combatting the effects of frost).

  The construction of a building for cleaning fish for non-commercial fishermen.

  The restoration of traditional boat houses.

  The organisation of a crayfish cooking competition. 

Another  example  is  the  Courtmacsherry  cooperative  community  shop  which  aptly  illustrates  how  a  community  can  come 
together and cooperate, keeping services close by and accessible in one place. The last convenience shop in Courtmacsherry, 
which is situated on the southwest coast of Ireland, closed in August 2015, despite the area having a rich tradition in commerce. 
The closure of the shop left a deep void in the community and a decline in local services. To combat this decline and the wider 
problems of rural isolation, the local community established a new community shop. 

The start-up of the shop was initially funded by the sale of shares to the community totalling €34 000 and was further supported 
by a grant of around €10 000 from the FLAG South (Ireland). The cooperative, which is wholly staffed by a panel of 30 volunteers, 
runs several operations including a convenience store selling locally produced artisan food and artefacts; a tourism office; an 
exhibition room; and a second-hand bookstore. The community shop has become the central hub of the village, providing the 
much-needed services required for sustaining and growing the area’s tourism markets (coastal hill walking, marine life enthusi-
asts, water sports, sea angling and general day trips). Since the establishment of the shop, local businesses such as hotels, bars, 
restaurants and marine activity providers have all seen an increase in turnover and growth.

Motorfabrikken Marstal, DK

The Marstal Engine Factory (Motorfabrikken Marstal) is a historical building at the heart of Marstal harbour in the Llsæ FLAG 
area. Once a maritime engine factory, the building is now a multipurpose facility focused on nurturing innovation.

The  project  consists  of  three  main  parts.  Firstly,  the  building  is  used  to  exhibit  old  and  restored  engines  with  workshop 
facilities for young inventors and engineers. Secondly, the factory is now used as a hub for local entrepreneurs and start-up 
businesses. The hub includes a coffee house and open plan spaces for collaboration. Finally, the main hanger is also used as 
a conference hall for seminars and events. The three areas combined bring the local community together, offering services 
and encouraging integration and collaboration.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 19 

Chapter 3 IntegrationRemote working, one smart way of addressing depopulation

As previously mentioned, many coastal communities face the challenges associated with depopulation. Although some young 
inhabitants of remote regions would like to stay in their home areas, employment opportunities often require them to move 
away to find work in larger urban areas. Nevertheless, during the last decade, remote working (or teleworking) — professionals 
working  remotely  from  home,  from  other  locations  (e.g.  shared  working  spaces)  or  on  the  road  —  has  become  increasingly 
common which could help tackle the issue.

According  to  data  collected  in  2010  by  the  European  Foundation  for  the  Improvement  of  Living  and  Working  Conditions 
(Eurofound, 2017), around 20% of workers across Europe identified that they mainly work at home, on client sites, on sites out-
side the factory or office, and/or on the road. Interestingly, the prevalence of remote work varies noticeably across EU Member 
States, being relatively widespread in Scandinavia but less prominent in Eastern Europe, Greece and Italy (Figure 2).

40 %

35 %

30 %

25 %

20 %

15 %

10 %

5 %

0 %

Denmark

Sweden
Netherlands

UK
bourg
Luxem

France

Estonia

Finland

Belgium

Ireland

Slovenia
Malta

Austria

Croatia

Cyprus

Bulgaria
Spain

Lithuania
Latvia

Romania

Germany

Portugal

Hungary

Slovakia

Greece

Italy

Poland

Czech Republic

square-full Home-based teleworker 

square-full Highly mobile teleworker 

square-full Occasional teleworker

Figure 2: Rate of remote working in the EU (data for EU 28, by type, 2015)

The ability to telework is partly restricted by the nature of the work being undertaken. It is a feasible option for those who can 
work independently and with relatively high digital skills, and is more prevalent among white-collar workers (i.e. professional, 
managerial  or  administrative  roles).  It  is  less  viable,  however,  for  more  practical  jobs  which  are  bound  to  a  specific  physical 
workplace, including fishing vessels or processing factories, for example. As such, teleworking is less frequent in the production 
and transformation sectors but is a viable option for the financial and services sectors.15 

Remote working arrangements create a ‘win-win’ situation for employers and employees based on the flexibility and autonomy 
they  offer. Table  1  provides  an  overview  of  the  benefits  and  challenges  of  remote  working  for  employees  and  employers.  In 
order for remote working to succeed, four critical challenges involving remote working need to be addressed: (1) finding the 
right work-life balance, (2) overcoming workplace isolation, (3) compensating for the lack of face-to-face communication, and 
(4) compensating for the lack of visibility. Advice on management techniques that can be used to tackle these challenges can 
be found in Mulki et al (2009).

15 

 Eurofound (2017) ‘Yearbook: Living and working in Europe’.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 20 

Chapter 3 IntegrationTable 1: Benefits and challenges of remote working

Employees

Employers

Benefits

Challenges

  Time and money saved on commuting.

  Increased productivity (greater job 

  More flexibility and autonomy.

  Being able to deal with family 

responsibilities.

satisfaction and lower absenteeism of 
employees).

  Lower real estate cost.

  Workplace isolation.

  Loss of organisational synergy.

  Sense that opportunities for advancement 

  Concern about data security.

are more limited.

  Loss of management control over remote 

employees.

FLAGs can encourage remote working arrangements in some cases. For example, in Denmark, FLAG Thy-Mors has supported 
the establishment of Cowork Klitmøller, a co-working centre in a small coastal town. The project leaders define their goals as 
increasing the number of new companies and growing tourism; creating a work-life balance thanks to its unique location close 
to the sea and nature, developing a flexible and modern co-working space, and establishing comfortable tourist accommoda-
tion. This example underlines the fact that, by their nature, coastal areas have a unique selling point as hosts for remote working 
hubs ensuring an enhanced quality of life.

‘Grow Remote’ is a rapidly growing community movement that has emerged in recent months in Ireland. It encourages people 
living  in  rural  (or  coastal)  areas  to  take  advantage  of  career  opportunities  offered  by  working  remotely.  Started  by  a  group 
of  community  developers  in  rural  areas  who  all  have  experience  of  remote  working,  Grow  Remote  supports  the  building  of 
so-called ‘Chapters’ where the inhabitants of rural areas can come together locally to identify opportunities for remote working.

As of early 2019, Grow Remote had established 43 locally led ‘Chapters’ or hubs in four different countries. In Ireland, it includes 
three remote islands (Arranmore, Achill, and Valentia). On Arranmore Island, which has a community of 465 people, a digital hub 
was built with the aim of stimulating employment. Moreover, sessions are organised where groups of seasonal workers achieve 
certification in remote working and can now access a wealth of career opportunities directly from the island’s digital hub. 

Overall, the underlying key actions needed to effectively integrate all actors of rural and coastal communities into the develop-
ment of their area are to promote and ensure (1) networking possibilities – connecting communities, small businesses, and local 
authorities –, (2) training and capacity building initiatives for a wide range of skills and needs – this ties into networking and the 
two elements work best in parallel, (3) the use of community facilities, and (4) tools for the strategic planning for villages and 
towns.16

T I P

 

Look at ways of incorporating other local development objectives into a crowdfunding campaign. For 
example, places on a training course and/or educational materials could be offered as a pledge reward. 
Promotional space on any resulting publication could be offered for business pledges to a project, 
promoting cooperation and developing strategic partnerships. 

16  Kearney, S. (2019) ‘Smart Services’ [Presentation at FARNET Smart Coastal Areas seminar], Bantry, 2-4 April.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 21 

Chapter 3 Integration 
Community broadband

Reliable  access  to  technology  (i.e.  good  connectivity,  service  coverage,  and  broadband  speed)  is  fundamental  to  achieving 
social integration through the provision of digital services and/or remote working arrangements. Compared to cities, internet 
connectivity can often represent a significant issue in more isolated areas. Sparsely populated communities face market barriers 
to accessing broadband as private companies are not always willing to make the investment required to link areas to the existing 
infrastructure.17 Therefore, inhabitants and public authorities need to cooperate to improve the connectivity of remote areas. 
Both cable and wireless broadband solutions can be considered, depending on regional specifications.

In Greece, a private IT company and the General Secretariat for Telecommunications and Post (GSTP) worked together on es-
tablishing a broadband infrastructure network, covering poorly connected rural areas throughout the country. The funding 
required for the network was a mix of EU grant funding18, national and regional funds and private investments. In such pub-
lic-private partnerships, the public sector usually contributes the largest part of the project funding, while the private entities 
are responsible for more technical operations.

Similarly, in Sweden, local non-profit associations, encouraged and supported by the public sector, carried out the building of 
broadband infrastructure in the countryside. The ‘Broadband Fibre’ project involved 11 villages groups throughout the munic-
ipality of Bräcke, leading to around 300 new connections to the broadband network in this rural municipality for a total cost of 
approximately €1M (receiving around 50% of public funding from EU and national and regional sources). 

Both examples illustrate the importance of building smart – often public-private – partnerships to achieve community integra-
tion (see Chapter Four: Collaboration).

Bridging the digital divide

Having a good broadband connection and access in remote areas is futile if the local population lacks the skills to use it. The 
social capital needed for regeneration in coastal areas can be ensured by reducing divisions in digital literacy, skills, competen-
cies and their associated economic and cultural opportunities. Bridging the digital divide in remote areas can, for instance, be 
achieved by organising flexible information days, training sessions and workshops on digital technologies. 

In coastal areas, this can include cross-generational student-fishermen training initiatives on IT/fisheries knowledge; an idea 
developed  by  participants  of  the  FARNET  Seminar  on  Smart  Coastal  Areas. The  idea  revolves  around  the  development  of  a 
programme where the technological skills and interests of young people can be transferred to local fishermen who, in turn, 
would share their knowledge of the local environment and the area’s fisheries sector. Such initiatives would create mutually 
beneficial learning exchanges, fostering trust and understanding, replacing the classic one-way relationships with a unilateral 
flow of knowledge.

In addition, as explained in Chapter Two: Innovation, simple digital tools can be developed and used to boost the local coastal 
socio-economy, such as work organisation apps (see XESMAR), digital diaries of landings, fish traceability tools (see T-Fish), apps 
for direct sales (see the Mobile Village Shop), using social media professionally, as well as mobile banking, postal services and 
health care systems. This can lead to engaging citizens and empowering the community to participate in the efforts to revitalise 
the area.

17 

 ENRD (2016) ‘Smart and competitive rural areas’. 

18 

 European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 22 

Chapter 3 Integration4.  Collaboration

One of the primary focuses of FLAGs is the creation of socio-economic links between local stakehold-

ers  from  multiple  sectors. While  creating ‘win-win’  situations  through  the  development  of  smarter 

partnerships, improved communication channels and sectoral integration can be difficult. FLAGs can 

act as a catalyst to the process, nurturing and increasing cooperation. In particular, FLAGs can foster 

intergenerational collaboration (e.g. fishers going to schools to raise awareness about the occupation 

and industry, with young people helping and training on the use of social media in return). They can 

also encourage cross-field collaboration (i.e. scientists, industry members, local community and local 

authorities  working  together  [e.g.  collecting  mutually  beneficial  data])  or  through  the  creation  of 

partnerships that have the potential to improve the socio-economic conditions in coastal areas. This 

Chapter aims to provide practical examples of such partnerships, offering guidance and tools on how 

to achieve ‘smarter’ collaboration in coastal areas.

Solidarity Purchasing Group (GAS), IT

Improving the inclusion of fishing communities within the industry’s supply chain is often based on strong local collabora-
tion. In Italy, Solidarity Purchasing Groups (‘GAS’ in Italian) are individuals and/or families who decided to come together 
and cooperate to support a different economic model through their purchases. It is a model that, on the one hand, respects 
the environment and workers’ rights, and guarantees the payment of a fair price to producers. On the other hand, it promotes 
the development of both local and community-based economic supply chains, in which producers and consumers work 
together on the community’s general well-being. With the support of the Blue Coast FLAG, Solidarity Purchasing Groups 
of the region of Abruzzo started working with fishermen to introduce fish into their portfolio of products. Encounters with 
producers and field trips have been organised to evaluate if a product and/or producer meets the groups’ ethical purchas-
ing criteria. ‘FlaGas’ (a collaboration between FLAGs and ‘GAS’) encourages smarter partnerships as they strive to increase 
income security; networking; environmental benefits through the improved awareness and responsibility of fishermen in 
the exploitation of marine resources; and cultural benefits (e.g. fish cleaning and filleting courses, exchanges of new and 
ancient recipes, events on the rediscovery of ancient professions such as net mending).

Smart partnerships

The concepts of sustainability, innovation and social integration in the previous three chapters often rely on putting together 
stakeholders, tools, finance, and institutions in new ways. Collaboration is key to this change but how do we ensure that these 
partnerships are ‘smart’ and create ‘win-win’ situations for all the partners involved? How do we know that a new partnership 
will solve the issues they set out to address? To build a smart partnership, the following questions first need to be addressed:

  What  is  needed  or  required  from  the  partnership  (e.g.  jobs  creation,  the  development  of  marine  renewable  energy,  the 

creation and development of tourism)?

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 23 

Chapter 4 Collaboration  Who are your stakeholders going to be and why (e.g. the youth or elderly, the fishing sector, universities, NGOs, the scientific 
community)? A ‘Stakeholder Mapping’ exercise can be used to identify potential partners and determine how to communicate 
with them in order to develop a fruitful and sustainable partnership (see Factsheet ii: Stakeholder Mapping).

  How will it be done? What actions are required and who is going to run them (e.g. best practice review, cooperation, surveys, 

information days)?

‘Reciprocity’ (i.e. creating a ‘win-win’ situation) and ‘trust’ are also crucial to the development and maintaining of smart partner-
ships. To ensure trust, three elements are important: (1) selecting smart partners, (2) putting a smart governance framework in 
place, and (3) transparency. Together, these concepts define the word ‘SMART’ as illustrated in Figure 3.19

Figure 3: Building SMART partnerships

Intergenerational relationships

Young  people  need  to  understand  the  importance  of  the  fisheries  sector  in  their  region  and  the  need  to  protect  its  marine 
environment. In addition, understanding the sector may attract young workers into the industry. Older generations would also 
benefit from a ‘fresh’ take on the sector’s development. In this sense, educational programmes and workshops can help build 
relationships that trigger intergenerational transfers of knowledge. 

Along the North Sea coast of Germany, the Competence Centre for Regional 
Learning of the University of Vechta, with the support of the local FLAG, devel-
oped three learning modules which can be used by schools for their classes of 
10  to  15-year-olds.  The  aim  of  the  project  is  to  provide  children  and  young 
people  in  the  region  with  more  information  about  the  local  fishing  industry 
and to generate interest in its associated occupations. Three different venues 
are used for the learning experience: a fishing boat in a small harbour, a fisher-
ies museum, and the Wadden Sea National Park House. More information on 
the project can be found here.

In  Croatia,  the  Istarski  Svoj  FLAG  supported  the ‘Sea  from  [an]  early  age’  project  which  promotes  the  consumption  of  local 
seafood through educational partnerships. The objective is to increase consumption of fresh local seafood in educational insti-
tutions (e.g. schools) and promote healthier dietary habits from a young age. 

19  Cummins, V. (2019) ‘Smart partnerships‘ [Presentation at FARNET Smart Coastal Areas Seminar], Bantry, 2-4 April. 

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 24 

Chapter 4 CollaborationCross-field collaboration

Partnerships between different types of stakeholders are another way to foster smart development. In Italy, ‘Tarta-Tur’, a com-
bination of the Italian word for turtle (tartaruga) and the Latin word for dolphin (tursiops), is a conservation project bringing 
together industry members, scientists and other local actors aimed at preserving the local marine wildlife (turtles and dolphins) 
in a collaborative manner. The project involves four FLAGs across three Italian regions on the Northern Adriatic Coast and hopes 
that the historical lack of trust in the region between fishermen and the scientific community can be overcome, benefitting both 
the marine environment and local fishing communities.

Note: cross-field collaboration can also be encouraged through the creation of sectoral ‘clusters’ (see Chapter Two: Innovation), 
or ‘smart hubs’ (see Chapter Three: Integration).

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 25 

Chapter 4 CollaborationFactsheet ii:  
Stakeholder mapping

Without stakeholders, there would be no projects to develop and manage. Stakeholders are the parties with a vested interest 
in a project – both individuals and teams or organisations –; those who influence the project, as well as those who will be 
affected by it.20

Stakeholder mapping (or ‘stakeholder analysis’) is a collaborative process of research and discourse, drawing from multiple 
perspectives to determine a key list of stakeholders in a project.21 Depending on the results of the analysis, a communication 
plan can be established to build fruitful and ‘smart’ partnerships that are essential to the success of the project. The analysis 
can be broken down into three main phases: 

  Identifying: listing relevant groups, organisations, and people. 

Typically, the first step of a stakeholder analysis could be a brainstorming session with your project leaders and managers. 
This way, you can identify and list all the people that you can think of who may affect or be affected by the project while you 
are working on it, and after it’s launched. At this stage, you can think broadly. The exclusion of some important groups may 
lead to future oppositions as a result of their lack of inclusion.22 

However, it is often impractical to include every single stakeholders, and at some point, you will have to draw a line in order 
to move on with the actual process of engagement or consultation.23 Stakeholder identification is an iterative process and 
should be repeated during the implementation of the project.

  Analysing and mapping: understanding stakeholder relationships, perspectives and interests. 

Once you have identified the most relevant pool of stakeholders, you can begin to align them according to their level of 
interest and influence. This can be done using a simple grid chart, called an ‘Interest-Influence’ matrix. Depending on the 
stakeholders’ ranking, the relationship that you will build with each of them and your communication strategy will vary (see 
Figure 4). 

20  Smartsheet (2019) ‘What is stakeholder analysis and mapping and how do you do it effectively?’.

21  BSR (2011) ‘Stakeholder Mapping’.

22  Glicken, J. (2000) ‘Getting stakeholder participation ‘right’: A discussion of participatory processes and possible pitfalls’, Environmental Science 

and Policy 3(6), pp.305-310.

23  Reed, M., et al. (2009). ‘Who’s in and why? A typology of stakeholder analysis methods for natural resource management’, Journal of 

Environmental Management, 90(5), pp.1993-1949.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 26 

Chapter 4  Collaboration / Factsheet iiHigh

Influence 

Low

Low 

Figure 4: Interest-Influence Matrix 

Interest  

High

  Managing stakeholders and developing a communication plan: dealing with the different types of stakeholders: 

 Ӯ High-influence,  high-interest  stakeholders  – These  are  the  most  important  stakeholders  for  the  successful  devel-
opment of your project, as they have control over what happens. Hence, it is crucial to keep them fully informed and 
consult with them regularly, especially during decision-making processes.

 Ӯ High-influence, low-interest stakeholders – These are the stakeholders who do not have an interest in your project, 
but who could have a significant influence on it. As part of your analysis, you will need to decide to what extent you will 
keep them involved through direct communication.

 Ӯ Low-influence, high-interest stakeholders – In many cases, those directly affected by a project show high interest in 
any changes but have limited control over what eventually happens. It is important to keep this group involved, giving 
them an opportunity to have an input into the project.

 Ӯ Low-influence, low-interest stakeholders – For this group, you might want to select only those who would benefit 
from regular communication and/or could contribute positively to the project. As they have low interest and low influ-
ence, you can minimise your efforts with this group.24

24  Muff, K. (2014) The Collaboratory, Austin: Greenleaf Publishing.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 27 

Chapter 4  Collaboration / Factsheet iiKeep satisfiedIdentify their areas  of interestConsult as appropriateKeep relevant actors well informedMinimal effortInform via general communicationMonitor for increase  in interestManage closelyKeep fully informed  and involvedConsult on all key decisionsKeep informedInvolve in area of interestInform and consultGive opportunities  to have an inputBased on the results of your analysis, you will be able to develop an effective communication plan. Figure 5 provides an 
example table that could be used for this purpose. The process of stakeholder mapping is as important as the results, and 
the quality of the process depends heavily on the knowledge of the people participating. Moreover, a project is more likely 
to be successful if effective stakeholder analysis is done on an ongoing basis.25

Stakeholder

Interest/
Influence

Key interest

Communication 
channel

Frequency

Contact details

Comments

Figure 5: Stakeholder communication plan template

In the case of coastal communities and FLAGs, Figure 6 provides an overview of frequently represented groups of stakehold-
ers, including members of the industry, government, academia and civil society, and their possible sphere of influence, i.e. 
project themes that they are more likely to be involved in.26

Funding

Supply Chains

MSP

National Level

Conservation

FLAGs

Data 
collection

Education

Policy

Heritage

Modelling

Local Level

Figure 6: General stakeholder mapping for FLAGs and coastal communities

25  Conservation International (2014) ‘Stakeholder Mapping Guide’. 

26  Cummins, V. (2019) Smart partnerships [Presentation to the FARNET Smart Coastal Areas Seminar], Bantry, 2-4 April.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 28 

Chapter 4  Collaboration / Factsheet iiGovernmentCivil SocietyIndustryAcademia5.  Smart Financing

As with most rural regions, coastal areas face significant challenges related to funding. Small-scale 

operators  in  coastal  communities  often  lack  the  capital  required  for  traditional  models  of  finance, 

making development projects difficult. Conventional loans and public grants require private match 

funding or a deposit, which small-scale operators struggle to raise. Typically, privately led projects 

under the EMFF require an initial contribution of between 20 to 50% of the total grant request for 

an  application  to  be  considered.  Moreover,  like  most  public  funds,  the  EMFF  often  operates  on  a 

reimbursement  basis  meaning  that  project  promoters  have  to  finance  the  project  entirely  before 

being reimbursed. For small-scale fishermen and operators in coastal communities, generating these 

funds is a substantial challenge, often holding up the local development process or acting as a bar-

rier altogether. Addressing these challenges, this Chapter focuses on alternative models of financing 

and provides guidance on how FLAGs can support ‘smarter’ ways of funding in coastal areas through 

the previously discussed four themes of sustainability, innovation, integration, and collaboration. 

Alternative  funding  methods  are  explored  before  a ‘blended’  financing  model  for  coastal  develop-

ment, through FLAGs, is introduced as a more reliable, sustainable and smarter way of approaching 

project funding. 

Financing through services, IE

We often see financing as a means of obtaining funds to pay for products and services. But what if the services are directly 
offered instead? A project by the North West FLAG (Ireland) used this approach to fund the renovation of a historical facility 
on Achill Island. The building once used by the basking shark fisheries of Keem Bay was turned into a multipurpose storage 
unit for local fishermen. To fund the project, the fishermen were asked to make both a financial contribution (for materials) 
and five hours of manual labour. The labour significantly reduced the financial cost of the project, making the renovation 
possible. Added to the benefits of the storage facility, the funding method gave the fishermen of Achill Island a sense of 
ownership and community, increasing the social capital of the area.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 29 

Chapter 5 Smart FinancingMicrofinancing and credit unions

Microfinance is a financial service targeted at small businesses or individuals who lack access to conventional banks and other 
financial services. Typically, microfinancing is the provision of small, more affordable, loans to socially marginalised individuals, 
allowing them to either become self-sufficient or to develop their business potential. Coastal areas, due to their location and 
infrastructure, can include socially marginalised communities and individuals. Fishermen and the owners of small businesses 
in coastal areas often lack a credit history or the collateral needed to secure conventional financial services, making business 
development  and  expansion  difficult.  Using  microfinance,  entrepreneurs  and  small  businesses  in  coastal  areas  can  kickstart 
ideas, nurture innovation and develop their existing businesses without relying on traditional financial systems. More broadly, 
microfinance is a way of promoting the economic development of coastal areas. It allows for the coastal communities to capital-
ise on opportunities, exploit resources and, ultimately, increase local employment. 

FLAGs can play an important role in establishing the successful use of microfinance schemes in coastal areas. For example, the 
East Sardinia FLAG joined forces with a private credit company to establish a microcredit fund to respond to the financial needs 
and other related support initiatives in the areas fisheries sector. For years, the local fishermen had been impacted by an ongo-
ing financial crisis. Due to the region’s banking system being limited to a few operators, with strict constraints for attributing 
loans, fishermen, who are unable to provide a guarantee, are often rejected when applying for conventional credit. Through the 
scheme, the FLAG makes several microcredit applications a year helping start-ups, small businesses and cooperatives projects 
which would otherwise not have been possible. 

The  use  of  Credit  Unions  or  collaboration  with  traditional  banks  and/or  beneficiaries  are  other  microfinance  options  availa-
ble to FLAGs wanting to introduce smarter funding options to their areas. In Spain, for example, the Vigo – A Guarda FLAG 
collaborates with a national bank in providing project promotors with funding and better repayment terms. While this is not 
strictly a microfinance model, collaborations with the traditional banking system may be a viable avenue to quicker funding in 
coastal areas for FLAGs. Similarly, in Poland, the Mielno FLAG collaborates with both a local bank and the local government in 
simplifying and facilitating credit applications so that young fishermen can set up their own businesses in the area. Through the 
cooperation, the local government reduces the administrative burden of setting up a company, while the local bank relaxes its 
stringent credit approve systems for FLAG related projects. 

T I P

 

When searching for a financial partner, it is crucial to find an intermediary who is willing to work with 
minimal third-party guarantees and who has the financial means available. This is more likely to be a 
public authority or an institution with the mission to support small enterprises.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly FLAG has developed a Credit Union scheme designed to assist those who cannot access grant 
funding for their projects without initial support (bridging loans). The Credit Union allows FLAG project beneficiaries access to 
the finances required to kick-start their projects before EMFF grants claims are paid. Many small-scale fishing and rural business-
es do not have the capital to cash flow projects until their claims are paid, which can take up to 12 months. This prevents many 
projects from proceeding and can exclude several small businesses. 

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 30 

Chapter 5 Smart Financing 
Approaches to crowdfunding

Traditional avenues of financing are not always the answer. As mentioned, traditional financing systems requirements might be 
too rigid for small scale operators. Or the project may be short of time, meaning the funding is required sooner than a typical 
funding application timeframe allows. Crowdfunding is an alternative funding method that can help address these issues. In 
recent years it has become an increasingly used method of funding projects and is typically used by start-ups and small and 
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as an alternative to traditional credit financing. In 2015, the European Commission identified 
510  crowd-funding  platforms  which  raised  capital  funding  in  excess  of  €2  billion.27 While  there  are  several  classifications  of 
crowdfunding, the most commonly used definition in the business and scientific communities upholds that: 

“ Crowdfunding is an open call, essentially through the Internet, for the provision 

of financial resources either in form of donation or in exchange for some 

form of reward and/or voting rights in order to support initiatives for specific 

purposes.”28

Alternative means of funding such as crowdfunding can also offer more than just finances. For example, if a project is launching 
a new service, crowdfunding through platforms such as Kickstarter29 have the added benefit of generating pre-sales and aware-
ness. While a project is still in its development stage, crowdfunding can act as an important market research tool; answering 
the question: does the target market or interest group value the project? As well as offering relatively quick access to funds, 
crowdfunding offers a unique and pre-emptive glimpse of a project’s potential success before valuable resources are commit-
ted. As such, FLAGs can encourage project promoters to use crowdfunding as a way of obtaining early investment, but also as a 
way of conducting early market research, a key part of the research and development process (see Factsheet iii: Developing a 
successful crowdfunding campaign).

Generally crowdfunding can be categorised into two main forms: community crowd-funding which is largely donation based 
and involves a non-financial reward, and financial return crowd-funding, which is a means of obtaining early investment through 
peer-to-peer loans or the early sale of shares (see Figure 7).30 Put plainly, community crowdfunding is associated with donations 
and financial return crowdfunding is associated with lending. 

Crowdfunding

Do nation Crowdfu nd ing

Re wa rd Crowdfu nd i ng

Pe er- to - pe er  Lend i ng

E qu ity  Crow dfu nd i ng

Com mu n ity Crowdfu nd ing

Fina ncia l  R et u rn  Cro wdfu nd ing

Figure 7: Drafting your potential crowdfunding options31

27  European Commission (2015) ‘Crowdfunding: Mapping EU markets and events study’. 

28  Lambert, T. et al (2011) ‘Crowdfunding: Tapping the right crowd’, Journal of Business Venturing, 29(5), pp. 585-609.

29  Kickstarter is the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects.

30  Kirby, E. and Worner, S. (2014) ‘Crowd-funding: An infant industry growing fast’, IOSCO: Staff Working Paper 3.

31  Adapted from Borello, E. et al. (2015) ‘The funding gap and the role of financial return crowdfunding: Some evidence from European platforms’, 

Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 20(1), pp. 1-20. 

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 31 

Chapter 5 Smart FinancingCommunity crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is not limited to business ventures and can be used to fund community initiatives. For example, in the Cornwall 
and Isles of Scilly FLAG area, a crowdfunding campaign was successfully used to fund public access to life-saving coastal de-
fibrillators. The  project  was  funded  by  the  coastal  community  through  donations,  often  referred  to  as  a  form  of ‘community 
crowd-funding’.  Furthermore,  the  project  offered  a  reward  for  those  who  pledged  money  to  the  campaign.  Members  of  the 
local community who donated a certain amount of money were enrolled in a coastal defibrillator training course, increasing the 
profile and social value of the project. 

Community crowdfunding typically works on a reward basis, where contributions to the project are rewarded by offering some-
thing in return. This can be the early pre-sale of the product or service being funded, or something completely arbitrary. The 
offer of a reward provides contributors with an incentive to support the campaign, and rewards often come in a series of levels, 
which increase in value and scarcity. 

Stöd.me: local crowdfunding platform, SE

Stöd.me is a new crowdfunding platform developed in the Bohuskust FLAG area which specifically focuses on and supports 
the smart financing of local projects. The project exemplifies the concept of community crowdfunding, using an online com-
munication platform to encourage a local network to support local NGOs, initiative, entrepreneurs, inventors and creatives 
on projects which meet a series of local requirements in the development of a ‘functional digital region’. Stöd.me website.

Financial return crowdfunding

The other main form of crowdfunding is offering contributors a financial return on their investment. Like traditional borrowing 
from a bank, this form of crowdfunding allows for the early sale of equity in a start-up business as a way of funding the initial 
costs of the business or project. However, it has the added benefit of the funding coming from many investors in small amounts 
through an online platform in the same way as community crowdfunding. This is particularly beneficial to fishermen and coastal 
communities who in many cases lack the credit history to obtain traditional forms of credit. 

Peer-to-peer crowdfunding is a way of acquiring funding from peers who have a similar vested interest in a project – there is 
a good fit between the borrower and lender. Added to this, multiple peers can invest in projects with minimal risk as individual 
stakes are small. Due to the vested interest of the crowd in peer-to-peer lending, the interest repaid is often small and favourable 
to equivalent loans from traditional banks.

Equity  crowdfunding  follows  a  similar  model  to  peer-to-peer  lending  with  the  added  difference  of  shares  in  the  proposed 
project being offered instead of a financial return on investments. This model is more typical when a project involves a new 
start-up business. 

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 32 

Chapter 5 Smart FinancingIn Focus – Fishtek, UK

Conservation pioneers, Fishtek, use equity-crowdfunding to raise capital to develop their range of cost-effective and easy-to-use 
battery powered transmitter that sends out warning sounds to harbour dolphins, whales and porpoises. The system protects the 
species, while at the same time reduces damage to lines and boats by up to 95%. 

Fintek used ethical banking specialist, Triodos32, to raise €1.2M through the sale of 15% of the company equity. The company 
used  a  crowdfunding  campaign  to  offer  supporters  the  unique  opportunity  of  investing  in  a  new  and  exciting  fisheries 
technology company, safe in the knowledge that they are also helping to tackle important environmental issues.

Developing a sustainable ‘blended’ financial model through FLAGs

A solution for small-scale financing with specific application to ethical, responsible and sustainable local market development 
and tourism in FLAG areas may be an innovative ‘blend’ of investment, crowdfunding, and loan-based financing. Current models 
of traditional financing that rely on either public or private financing are becoming inadequate in terms of both sustainability 
and flexibility (OECD, 2018).33 Instead, blended finance models which incorporates more than one source of funding can offer 
faster economic growth, while at the same time aligning stakeholders, particularly those in rural areas, in a more sustainable way 
through establishing common interests, objectives, and lasting relationships.34 

Figure 8 illustrates how a blended finance model can be a viable alternative.35 In such a model, community investment should 
act as a ‘wrapper’ around more traditional and commonplace funding practices. This community investment wrapper should 
act  as  a  foundation  on  which  to ‘build’  other  funding  opportunities  and  would  raise  funds  from  cooperatives,  social  enter-
prises, NGOs and/or credit unions. In other words, they play a supporting role in the overall funding of a project, increasing 
and optimising funding potentials. This funding wrapper could then be supported by a crowdfunding campaign before finally 
traditional methods of financing are adopted such as bank loans, institutional investments and grants from national or EU funds. 

OMMUNITY INVESTMEN
CROWDFUNDING

T

C

INSTITUTIONAL 

INVESTORS

LOANS

GRANTS

Figure 8: ‘Blended’ finance model for coastal community development through FLAGS

32  Triodos is an ethical bank which finances progressive entrepreneurs with a mission of making money work for positive environmental, social and 

cultural change. 

33  OECD (2018) ‘Blended finance principles: Unlocking commercial finance for the sustainable development goals’.

34  Pereira, J. (2017) ‘Blended finance: What it is, how it works and how it is used’.

35  O’Rourke, T. (2019) ‘Smart finance‘[Presentation at FARNET Smart Coastal Areas seminar], Bantry, 2-4 April.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 33 

Chapter 5 Smart FinancingUsing a blended funding model has benefits including reducing legal, accounting and administrative costs due to the infrastruc-
ture and support offered by the multiple institutions and funding platforms involved. Furthermore, financial institutions and 
external investors would be attracted by an investment vehicle that spreads risk, as they are investing in an already established 
group of institutions, each offering its own benefits, instead of just a fledgling standalone start-up team. 

Figure 9 provides an illustrative breakdown of how this funding wrapper might be achieved in advance of approaching, and as 
a foundation to, institutional investors, taking out loans or making official grant funding applications. One option for FLAGs is 
to assist potential projects in implementing a funding wrapper before projects are selected. The North East Scotland FLAG uses 
this approach through a match funding scheme using the Crowdfunder platform. 

20%
Community bond 
funding from the 
local municipality

40%
Equity crowdfunding 
through ethical 
platforms

40%
Credit Union  
funding on a fixed 
term basis

Figure 9: Example breakdown of a community funding ‘wrapper’ 

T I P

 

Community-based local financing system requires: 
>  A local culture of self-reliance and self-sufficiency 
>  Energetic and highly focused local actors 
>  Appropriate and cooperative local infrastructure 
>  Soft regulatory control at the outset

Crowdfunding FLAG top-ups, UK

The North East Scotland FLAG encourages the use of a ‘blended’ approach project funding. The FLAG offers match funding 
of up to 50% of a project’s Crowdfunder36 target. This innovative scheme encourages project promoters to use crowdfund-
ing before making an application for EMFF funding. Businesses, individuals and organisations can apply for extra funding 
through Crowdfunder, but their project must have reached 25% of its funding target to be considered. The scheme reassures 
the FLAG of the project’s value, while also increasing the projects funding potential and appeal to external investors (see 
Factsheet iii: Developing a successful crowdfunding campaign).

A blended approach can also be used to match different financing sources with different stages of a project. Indeed, the pre-
paratory phases of a project, which require limited amount of financing, but at the same time offer no immediate return on 
investment, can be best approached through grant schemes of community crowdfunding; while later phases requiring heavier 
investments can then be financed through more typical borrowing or equity schemes.

36  Crowdfunder is a UK-based crowdfunding platform.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 34 

Chapter 5 Smart Financing 
Factsheet iii:  
Developing a successful crowdfunding campaign

FLAGs can play an important role in facilitating and guiding the use of alternative funding methods, such as crowdfunding 
in coastal communities This factsheet outlines the key steps of producing a successful crowdfunding campaign, which FLAGs 
can use in assisting local start-ups and facilitating projects in reaching their full funding potential. 

Keystep 1. Clearly define your project and tell your story

Crowdfunding campaigns can be categorised into three main stages (Figure 10). The first, and most important, step to suct-
cessfully crowdfunding a project is preparation in the pre-campaigning stage. Approximately two in three crowdfunding 
campaigns fail. Although the reasons for this vary, typical reasons for failure include a lack of early traction and awareness, 
a lacklustre or unappealing rewards scheme, and most prominently, the lack of a convincing story behind the campaign. 
Telling your project’s story concisely, while also being engaging, is key to attracting your crowd of funders.

T I P

 

Look at ways of incorporating other local development objectives into a crowdfunding campaign. 
For example, places on a training course and/or educational materials could be offered as a pledge 
reward. Promotional space on any resulting publication could be offered for business pledges to a 
project, promoting cooperation and developing strategic partnerships. 

Pre-campaign 

Campaign 

Post-campaign

Identify!
Prepare!
Build!

Generate!
Engage!
Update!

Launch!
Fulfil!
Thank!

Figure 10: Stages of a crowdfunding campaign37

37  Adapted from Interreg (2019) ‘Crowdfunding ABC’.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 35 

Chapter 5  Smart Financing / Factsheet iii 
 
Keystep 2. Choose a platform 

Once  you  have  a  clearly  defined  project,  it  is  then  im-
portant to choose the right platform on which to launch 
your  campaign.  There  are  hundreds  of  crowdfunding 
platforms,  each  with  a  slightly  different  purpose  and 
function. Some platforms operate on an ‘all or nothing’ 
basis – where a project will only be funded if it reaches its 
pre-defined funding. The US-based platform, Kickstarter, 
introduced  this  approach.  If  a  project  fails  to  meet  its 
funding  target,  the  contributions  are  returned  to  the 
crowd. 

Some  platforms  allow  you  to  keep  the  funds  raised 
even  if  your  pre-defined  target  is  not  reached.  While 
most  crowdfunding  platforms  are  transnational,  Figure 
11  offers  a  list  of  country-specific  platforms  which  you 
might want to consider. Choosing a platform which best 
fits your project is important and should be based on the 
stage of your start-up business or project (Figure 12). 

Member State

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Italy

Spain

Sweden

UK

International

Platform

Booomerang

Invesdor

Ulule

KissKissBankBank

Companisto

Derev

Goteo

FundedByMe

Crowdfunder

Crowdcube

Funding Circle

Kickstarter

Indiegogo

Figure 11: Crowdfunding platforms by Member State

Startup Stage

Pre-startup

Startup

Growth

Required Resources

Problem/ 

Product 

Market 

Market 

Market 

Solution Fit

Validation

Validation

Penetration

Expansion

Optimal Type

Donation

Lending

Equity

  Choose a platform with 

  Offer tangiable rewards

  Attract reputable early 

an “all or nothing” model

  Detail your teams 

investors

  Be transparent and 

credentials, why should 

  Develop your market: 

accountable

they back you! 

attract an audience that 

  Publicise backer 

  Frequently update your 

can empathise

information

funders

  Provice/use third party 

Best Practices

sources that support 

your arguments

Figure 12: Crowdfunding selection criteria for start-up businesses

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 36 

Chapter 5  Smart Financing / Factsheet iiiKeystep 3. Build a community of followers

Communication is key. You can have the best product imaginable, the most innovative idea since sliced bread, but if no one 
knows about it, it might as well not exist. Building a community of followers ahead of your campaign launch is important for 
two main reasons. Firstly, the community you have built before your launch is your initial audience, which in turn, will be your 
initial interaction and feedback, from which you can build a conversation. Good content and engagement with your target 
market, in the age of social media, is critical to the success of any marketing strategy. 

Secondly, the community you have built (your audience, market) will be your first early backers. According to Kickstarter38,  
80%  of  crowdfunding  campaigns  which  reach  20%  of  their  funding  target  are  subsequently  fully  funded.  It  is,  therefore, 
important to reach 20% of your funding goal as early as possible. Data going back to 2009 suggest that early traction is key 
to success. Having a community of early adopters can give you this early backing, bringing you close to the critical 20% of 
your goal. 

Keystep 4. Promote your campaign 

Once  you  have  a  strong  community  of  early  backers,  it  is  now 
time  to  promote  your  campaign.  At  these  critical  stages  of  your 
campaign,  it  is  important  to  communicate  and  promote  your 
campaign effectively so that it reaches as many potential backers 
as possible. In terms of communications tools, you might want to 
consider the following: 

Advertising – Once thought of as an expensive channel of com-
munication,  digital  advertising  is  now  more  obtainable  when 
funding  is  tight.  Consider  small  images  and  infographics  to  be 
used on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and 
Twitter. Through targeted advertising campaigns it is possible to 
reach your target audience efficiently. 

Personal  Selling  –  Nothing  is  more  effective  than  getting  out 
and speaking to people about your project in person. Identify key 
locations and individuals and approach them – you have already 
begun personal selling in the development of your community in 
step 3.

ADVERTISING

SALES 

PROMOTIONS

PERSONAL 

SELLING

MARKETING 

COMMUNICATION  

TOOLS

DIRECT 

MARKETING

PUBLIC 

RELATIONS

EVENTS

Public Relations and Events – Creating a positive reputation and public image for your start-up or project is paramount. 
Think of this as the positive side of your storytelling. Why are you undertaking your project? What problem is it addressing? If 
you can answer these two questions in a positive light, the chances are that others will echo this positivity, resulting is good 
public relations. Good public relations can lead to unpaid or ‘earned’ media in the form of press coverage. Put out regular 
press releases to local news outlets or to societies which might be interested in your story – the reach of this type of coverage 
can be huge. Events are also a fantastic way of generating publicity. Showcase your project at local festivals and markets or 
develop your own event entirely. There is an old saying in marketing: “advertising is what you pay for; publicity is what you 
pray for”. 

Direct Marketing – Often seen as a combination of advertising and personal selling, direct marketing involves you actively 
communicating  with  your  target  audience  directly,  e.g.  by  email  ordering  e-commerce  or  telephone  selling,  as  opposed 
to using third parties, such as retailers or external companies. Essentially, it is advertising which requires the proactivity of 
personal selling. 

38  Kickstarter (2019) ‘Stats’.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 37 

Chapter 5  Smart Financing / Factsheet iiiSales Promotions – Offer a series of unique and limited promotions through your crowdfunding campaign to entice early 
adopters. It is important to note that any sales promotions should remain constant or you run the risk of ‘cheapening’ your 
offering by introducing dramatic price changes. Indeed, if your project is not product based, it is important not to offer too 
much in return for making a pledge or donation to your project. A good strategy is to use limited availability on your initial 
crowdfunding campaign offerings. This can be a reduced price or a limited reward for the first 100 backers of your project.39 

K
L
-
A
L
-
1
9
-
0
0
2
-
E
N

-

N

T I P

 

Creating a video is one of the most engaging ways you can tell your story. Video content is versatile 
and can be used across all communications platforms. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need 
state of the art equipment to create a good promotional video – a smartphone and a free editing app 
creates good results. Remember to focus on:  
1. Telling your story! 
2. Set a consistent tone for your video and make it engaging.  
3. Try to limit your video to 30 seconds. 
4. Use infographics to reinforce key information. 

In Focus – Smart Shores, Canada

Smart Shores successfully used Kickstarter to fund the development of new technolo-
gy for measuring pollution in coastal regions using biosensors and drones. The cam-
paign is focused on the re-opening of the regions shellfish harvesting areas, closed 
since the 1970s due to water pollution. 

Chapter Five of this guide illustrated the importance of alternative funding methf-
ods in terms of both generating and speeding up the funding process. The Smart 
Shores project exemplifies this. Firstly, the crowdfunding campaign was used to 
decide if a federal research grant should be awarded to the project. Secondly, due 
to the public awareness raised through the campaign, the research grant quadru-
pled the funding in value through public contributions. Project video

Keystep 5. Fulfil and update your community

So, you have successfully developed and launched your campaign, and you have reached your funding goal. It is important 
that you don’t stop here! Continue your ongoing conversation with your community, provide them with updates and, most 
importantly, fulfil your project. Regardless of the type of crowdfunding you have undertaken, contact your backers on your 
progress with regular updates. Most crowdfunding platforms offer a facility to do this internally, making it easy to upload 
videos and images documenting your projects journey. If you are developing a product, update your backers on the new 
product development process and expected delivery times. Quite often, people back a crowdfunding campaign to be part 
of a project and journey, as well as investing in the innovation a new product offers. 

39  Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G. (2017) Principles of Marketing. Hoboken: Pearson.

Smart Coastal Areas: A Guide for FLAGs # 38 

Chapter 5  Smart Financing / Factsheet iii