MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The 2013/2014 Blue Flag season kicked off this week at three of the four Mossel Bay beaches, which received this coveted status in October 2013.
The four beaches are Hartenbos and Santos, which became Blue Flag beaches five years ago; De Bakke, which gained the status last year; and Little Brak River, which achieved Blue Flag status for the first time for the 2013/2104 season.
Mossel Bay has the most Blue Flag beaches fully complying with all the criteria outside the Cape Town Metropole. Because of the cost of operating Blue Flag beaches, the majority of South Africa's 41 Blue Flag beaches are only operated as such in December and January annually.
Little Brak River will be operated as a Blue Flag beach from 13 December 2013 to 12 January 2014, while the other three beaches will be Blue Flag beaches until 30 January 2014.
In addition to people employed by the entrepreneurs teams, which clean the towns as well as beaches in the Mossel Bay municipal area on an ongoing basis, another 30 temporary jobs have been created for the Blue Flag season.
The municipality is receiving assistance this year in terms of the Department of Environmental Affairs' Working for the Coast programme. Several people are therefore employed at the Blue Flag beaches in terms of this programme as well.
The Blue Flag is an international eco-lable and quality standard, and beaches have to meet 32 strict coastal management criteria, which include water quality, environmental education programmes and information, environmental management, as well as safety and the quality and availability of facilities and services at the beach.
Blue Flag status has been awarded to 3 849 beaches and marinas across the world for the 2013/2014 season.
- Mossel Bay Advertiser
