The Blue Flag Campaign
is an international voluntary certification scheme for
beaches and marinas. The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label
that was awarded to 3200 beaches and marinas in 35
countries across Europe, South Africa, New Zealand,
Canada and the Caribbean in 2005.
It has proven to be an effective environmental tool to enhance
the health & safety and
environmental quality of beaches and marinas. Under the
Blue Flag award system, beaches that fulfill the required
criteria i.e. bathing water quality, accessible beach
facilities and services, environmental education, among
others, are awarded the Blue Flag. The Blue
Flag has become a world wide symbol for beach and marina environmental
quality and is sought by countries for the recognition
received from visitors.
Blue Flag Website
The Caribbean
Blue Flag program introduced to the Caribbean in 1999,
was implemented by a Caribbean Blue Flag Consortium
comprising the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism
(CAST), the Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA), and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).
The program is owned and operated globally by the Foundation
for Environmental Education (FEE).
The Consortium was disbanded in 2006 to give way to
NGOs in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the
Bahamas, which have become members of FEE and operators of
their country Blue Flag programs. Countries currently flying
Blue Flags in the Caribbean (2007) are listed below.
If you are interested in
joining the Caribbean Blue Flag program contact CAST:
cast@cha-cast.com.
