MOSSEL BAY PROUD TO HOST 2010 BLUE FLAG LAUNCH
“The Mossel Bay Town Council has learnt with great pride that the annual national launch function of the Blue Flag Organisation, at which it will be announced which South African beaches will be awarded the coveted Blue Flag status for the next year, will be held in Mossel Bay this year.
“It is a special honour which has befallen Mossel Bay as the town received Blue Flag status for two of its beaches, namely Santos and Hartenbos, only for the first time last year. It is also recognition for the excellent way that the Municipality, in its first season, managed the two beaches. What makes it an even greater honour, is the fact that this is also the tenth anniversary of Blue Flag in South Africa.”
This was the reaction of the Executive Mayor of Mossel Bay, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, on being informed that the 2010 Blue Flag launch will take place at Santos Beach on 28 October 2010. The launch will be attended by the Minister of Tourism as well as Mayors, Councillors and Municipal Managers of coastal towns and cities from Richards Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal coast to Port Nolloth on the Northern Cape coast.
Representatives of the international Blue Flag Organisation, whose head office is in Denmark, will also attend the event.
In their letter to the Municipality the South Africa branch of the international Blue Flag Organisation wrote that Mossel Bay, as one of the newest municipalities to participate in the Blue Flag programme, has done a great job in fulfilling the stringent international Blue Flag criteria.
The function will be preceded by a workshop for representatives of Municipalities at which the effect of climate change as well as the development of beach tourism will inter alia be discussed.
Blue Flag status is awarded for beaches that meet stringent standards in respect of safety, facilities, neatness and environmental standards. To qualify for Blue Flag status, a beach must comply with 29 criteria which are laid down by the international organisation. Water quality is one of the most important criteria.
Because of the cost and logistical requirements, beaches are normally operated as Blue Flag beaches only for short periods in a year. The award is made for one year at a time and Municipalities must apply annually for Blue Flag status for beaches.
The Blue Flag Organisation does regular inspections at beaches when the beaches are operated under the Blue Flag to ensure that they comply with the set criteria at all times.
In 2001, South Africa became the first country outside Europe to implement the Blue Flag programme for its beaches. Blue Flag status was awarded to 29 beaches in South Africa in 2009. The programme is followed in forty countries and there are approximately 4 000 beaches with Blue Flag status around the world.