Blue Flag eco scheme launched for beaches

The Blue Flag environment programme for beaches and marinas in Malta was yesterday launched by Nature Trust in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority.

The aim is for the island to join other countries accredited to the international eco-label within two years.

Making it onto the Blue Flag beach map would also help promote Malta and its tourism industry as a country that meets international standards, said Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech.

The Blue Flag is one of the environmental education programmes of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE), which aims to promote sustainable development.

The exclusive eco-label is awarded to beaches and marinas that meet strict criteria regarding water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, safety and other related services, said Nature Trust Malta president and FEE Malta coordinator Vincent Attard.

Some of the issues involved include cleanliness, provisions for waste and recycling and zoning of activities.

The Blue Flag campaign should be carried out by a non-profit, non-governmental, independent organisation, having environmental education and protection as objectives, explained Mr Attard, adding that Nature Trust has been working hard towards this aim for the last four years, when it was chosen as the FEEE Malta coordinator.

Since it was appointed FEEE representative in 2002, Nature Trust launched the Green Flag, known locally as EkoSkola, which has been a success story, he said.

Developed in France, the Blue Flag concept is now 20 years old and has since developed on a European level and beyond. In 2005, the eco-label was awarded to around 3,100 beaches and marinas in 35 countries across Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean.

Speaking at a seminar to launch the programme at the InterContinental Malta, Dr Zammit Dimech said the standard of Malta's beaches was a benchmark for environmental purposes and an important means of promotion for the tourism industry, tourism and the environment going hand in hand.

"Even though we are diversifying our tourism product from sun and leisure to other segments, we still depend for 56 per cent of our tourism on the sun, sea and sand component," he pointed out, considering the Blue Flag accreditation to be vital.

The St George's Bay project was a prime example of beach management and a model for future beach developments, involving the monitoring of water quality, security and environmental information.

Following the success of the St George's Bay embellishment project, a perched beach in Bugibba is being developed and should be completed by the end of June, while similar projects are earmarked for other bays in Malta and Gozo.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that in the planning and management of these developments, Blue Flag criteria are being implemented.

MTA executive chairman Romwald Lungaro-Mifsud said that in view of the "ferocious" competition that Malta's tourism industry was facing, and the fact that it could not compete in volume, replenishing beaches to high standards was the way forward, not only important but vital.

Following the approval of the MTA's beach development and management master plan, it would be proposing a national policy on the same subject to the government.

Yesterday's Blue Flag seminar was one of four steps in the implementation project, which includes the establishment of the Blue Flag national committee, carrying out of the Blue Flag feasibility phase and the running of the Blue Flag pilot phase.

The aim would be to launch another FEEE programme, Young Reporters, next year.