Background
The Blue Flag programme is administered in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
There are three types of Blue Flag awarded in Scotland - the Blue Flag for Beaches, Blue Flag for Marinas and the Individual Blue Flag.
The prestigious Blue Flag is acknowledged in 40 countries around the world. The programme is designed to raise environmental awareness and increase good environmental practise amongst tourists, local communities and beach and marina operators.
This year almost 3,000 beaches will fly a Blue Flag and over 600 marinas will also have the award in the Northern Hemisphere. Please visit www.blueflag.org to find out more about the programme in other countries.
Blue Flag Beach
Blue Flag beaches will typically provide toilets, first aid, disabled access, facilities, information and maps. They are all supervised and often have lifeguards present during the peak season.
All Blue Flag beaches are monitored during the summer season and assessed against the 29 criteria. If problems are found, or criteria not met, the beach manager must lower the flag until all standards are achieved again.
Find out more about the Blue Flag beaches by viewing the current award holders map. For information on the Blue Flag programme in other countries please visit www.blueflag.org.
Blue Flag Marina
Marinas and harbours with pontoons for recreational boats can also be awarded the Blue Flag if they meet strict management criteria.
The growth of recreational boating and marinas has prompted a growing awareness of the need to protect the environmental quality of waterways as an integral part of the management of coastal areas.
The Blue Flag Marina must meet 23 criteria which come under one of four topics:
- Environmental education and information provision
- Environmental management
- Safety and services
- Water quality
There is currently one Blue Flag Marina in Scotland - Kirkcudbright (Marina)
Individual Blue Flag
More than 100 boat owners have signed a voluntary code of conduct and received an Individual Blue Flag (IBF) pennant in Scotland.
The IBF scheme aims to encourage individuals to adopt good environmental practice. Recreational boat owners and users who wish to raise the profile of environmental issues and make a personal commitment to look after the marine environment are now able to contribute to the Blue Flag Programme.
If you are based in Scotland and would like to apply for an Individual Blue Flag, please use our IBF Online Application Form.
Downloadable posters are available for use at your local yacht club or harbour. They can be found in our leaflets and support information section.
More Information
For information on the Blue Flag programme in other countries please visit www.blueflag.org.
To find out more about applying for a Blue Flag please contact beach@ksbscotland.org.uk
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