Four V.I. Beaches And Two Marinas Receive Blue Flag Certification

ST. THOMAS — The USVI Hotel & Tourism Association (HTA) along with the VI Conservation Society (VICS) announced on Monday that after an extensive annual review process, four beaches and two marinas have once again been awarded the Blue Flag status by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

According to the release, Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label promoting sustainable tourism, and is awarded to beaches and marinas worldwide that meet the established criteria of the program. It started with 10 participating countries in 1987, and today the Blue Flag Program continues to grow and has been implemented in 48 countries at more than 4,000 beaches and marinas across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean.

The four beaches receiving the certification are: On St. Thomas, Emerald Beach, Great Bay; Green Cay Beach at Tamarind Reef, and the Palms at Pelican Cove on St. Croix. Two marinas also received certification and reached their 5-year milestone: On St. Thomas, Crown Bay Marina and on St. Croix Green Cay Marina.

The Blue Flag certification is based on compliance with 32 criteria including environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services.

Blue Flag International also announced the launch of its certification for sustainable boating tourism operators.

“We have worked several years on new criteria for sustainable boating tourism operators, with experts and key stakeholders. Diving, whale watching, nature watching, recreational fishing — any type of sustainable boating activity can begin the process of certification with us,” reads the release, encouraging the boating community to promote sustainable practices while recognizing them for their efforts in spreading the word that the Blue Flag Program aims to improve the environmental quality of beaches, marinas and the management of coastal areas in a holistic way.

It is a system that does not curtail recreation and tourism in the coastal area, according to the release, but rather helps manage it through a wide range of subjects, activities and users that have direct and indirect interactions with the coastal environment.

The Blue Flag Program serves to encourage authorities and managers to provide beaches and marinas with a certain level of environmental quality, cleanliness, and safety standards for local populations and tourists.

The process of acquiring Blue Flag certification involves both monetary and manpower investment. Corporate sponsors include the Department of Tourism and Coral World Ocean Park. Key agencies include the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (CZM, EP), CORE, D.O.T., VI Waste Management Authority, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Education, St Croix Environmental Association, NOAA, University of the Virgin Islands, VIMAS, and the EPA, Department of Energy, which provided staffing to serve on the Blue Flag Jury who conducted inspections of the beaches, according to the release.

Valerie Peters, Blue Flag USVI coordinator, said, “We strive to educate recreational coastal users of the delicate ecosystem they are “playing in”, and encourage sound practices that will help ensure the health of our marine areas for generations to come.”

The flags will be raised on all four beaches and two marinas on Thursday, December 1. Blue Flags is encouraging residents and visitors to join it in recognizing these locations for their hard work and dedication to implement sound environmentally sustainable tourism practices.

For additional information, visit www.blueflagvi.org.

Feature Image: Lingbergh Bay, Emerald Beach Resort. (Courtesy Blue Flags USVI)