Blue Flag beach

The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator meets its standards. The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE, which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of more than 100 organisations spreading 81 countries.
FEE's Blue Flag criteria include standards for quality, safety, environmental education and information, the provision of services, and general environmental management. The Blue Flag is hence sought as an indication of high environmental and quality standards.
Certificates, which FEE refers to as awards, are issued on an annual basis to beaches and marinas of FEE member countries by the Blue Flag international jury. For a beach to be awarded, it must meet at least thirty of the Blue Flag's criteria spanning four categories. Meanwhile, for a marina to be awarded, it must meet at least thirty-eight criteria spanning six categories. The awards are announced yearly on 5 June for Europe, Canada, Morocco, Tunisia, and other countries in a similar geographic location, and on 1 November for the Caribbean, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries in the southern hemisphere.
In the European Union, the water quality standards are incorporated in the EC Water Framework Directive.
As a result of the 2024 award cycle, a total of 5,010 Blue Flags are waving around the world. Spain was the most awarded country, with a total of 747 Blue Flags.
The table below lists the total number of Blue Flags (including beaches, marinas, and boats) in each country as a result of the 2024 awards cycle (with a few countries listed containing only information from the 2015 awards cycle).
The Blue Flag was inspired by the "Message to the Sea" campaign (initiated by Marcel Clébant), where students wrote messages and put them inside bottles. These were dropped in the Atlantic Ocean with the intent of washing up onshore on different beaches and increasing awareness of human action harming the oceans. (The current logo of the Blue Flag evolved from the logo of the "Message to the Sea" campaign, with the exception that it doesn't include the image of a bottle.)
The Blue Flag was then officially created in France in 1985. It started as a pilot scheme from the Office of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (Office français de la Fondation pour l'Education à l'Environnement en Europe) where French coastal municipalities were awarded the Blue Flag on the basis of criteria covering sewage treatment and bathing water quality. Eleven French municipalities got the award in 1985.
1987 was the "European Year of the Environment" and the European Commission was responsible for developing the European Community activities of that year. The Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE) presented the concept of the Blue Flag to the commission, and it was agreed to launch the Blue Flag Programme as one of several "European Year of the Environment" activities in the Community. The European Commission co-sponsored the Blue Flag for the next 11 years.
The concept of the Blue Flag was developed on the European level to include other areas of environmental management, such as waste management and coastal planning and protection. Besides beaches, marinas also became eligible for the Blue Flag. In 1987, 244 beaches and 208 marinas from ten countries were awarded the Blue Flag.
Many challenges arose from the advertisement of Blue Flags during this time. For example, some popular beaches would not have been eligible for the Blue Flag certification, leading to a questioning of its criteria and motives. However, some lesser-known locations gained attention for following the Blue Flag's criteria.
There have been increases in the numbers of Blue Flags awarded each year. The criteria have during these years been changed to more strict criteria. As an example, in 1992 the Programme started using the restrictive guideline values in the EEC Bathing Water Directive as imperative criteria, and this was also the year where all Blue Flag criteria became the same in all participating countries.
In 2001, FEEE rules were changed to allow non-European national organizations, sharing the objectives of FEEE, to become members, and changed its name by dropping Europe from its name, becoming the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
Several organizations and authorities outside the European Union have joined FEE. In 2001, South Africa and several Caribbean countries joined. FEE has been cooperating with UNEP and UNWTO on extending the Programme to areas outside Europe. South Africa, Canada, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand and four countries in the Caribbean region are members of FEE. Aruba and Brazil are currently in the pilot phase of the Programme and Jordan, Macedonia, Turks & Caicos Islands, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates have started the implementation of the Blue Flag Programme.
FEE standards allow for regional variations in beach criteria to reflect specific environmental conditions of a region. As of 2006 an international set of criteria is being used with some variations.
In 2016, Blue Flag extended its programmed boat-based tourism activities like nature watching (whale watching, bird watching, cage diving, etc.), recreational fishing, diving, and crewed charter tours. Certified tour operators have to comply with criteria regarding the sustainable operation of their boats and their business as a whole.
There are 81 countries and two US territories participating in the Blue Flag program, including Albania, Argentina, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, the United States of America, the US Virgin Islands, and Wales.
There are six criteria that Blue Flag beaches must adhere to that deal with to environmental education and information. For one, details about the Blue Flag Program must be visible. Secondly, a minimum of five environmental education events should be provided. Next, information about the water quality of the ocean must be presented. Additionally, details on the surrounding ecosystem and nearby cultural locations. Furthermore, a map that lays out the beach facilities should be exhibited. Finally, a code of conduct for the area has to be visible.
There are five criterias Blue Flag beaches must meet regarding water quality. One is that samples must be taken according to the Blue Flag's requirements. Additionally, the beach must meet the Blue Flag's requisites for water quality. Also, no industrial or sewage waste can influence in the area. To continue, the beach must have less than a certain number of escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci. Finally, the beach has to be free of litter and pollution.
Microbiological test as evidence for bacterial free
The criteria presented above apply to all tour operators that want to be awarded the Blue Flag. In addition, tour operators that offer whale watching, bird watching, seal watching, cage diving, recreational fishing and diving have to comply with additional criteria for the respective activity. These criteria are tailored to the different tourist experiences and take into account the specific environmental issues related to them. They include for example approach distances to different animal species, the correct use of equipment and the humane handling of animals that are caught during recreational fishing tours.