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Venetian Islands Revamp Traditions to Counter Depopulation

Associated Press

   VENICE, ITALY - The Venetian island of Burano's charms are rooted in
   its fishing legacy: the colorful fishermen's cottages, the traditional
   butter cookies that kept fishermen going at sea and the delicate lace
   hand-stitched by their women.

   But as the island's population dwindles, like that of Venice itself a
   40-minute boat ride away, so do the numbers of skilled artisans who
   keep the traditions and economy alive.

   To counter the trend, Venezia Nativa, an association of entrepreneurs
   on Burano and two neighboring islands, is trying to breathe fresh life
   into old trades to attract new residents and persuade young islanders
   to stay.

   Domenico Rossi, 49, is a crab fisherman, like his ancestors back to the
   glory days of the Venetian Republic.

   But that way of life is dying. When Rossi was a boy, about 100
   fishermen plied the northern Venetian lagoon for soft-shell crabs. Now,
   he's the youngest of the 20 still operating, and he figures in a couple
   of decades there will be none left.

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