Immigrants Enjoy Life in Portugal: According to the latest report from the Morning Post, José Archer, President of the European Blue Flag Association, announced this Thursday that Portugal has a total of 299 beaches awarded the Blue Flag this year, an increase of 22 from last year.
The Blue Flag is a widely recognized ecological symbol awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to beaches and marinas that demonstrate a high commitment to environmental management and sustainable practices.
Beaches awarded the Blue Flag must meet 27 criteria across four areas: water quality, environmental information and education, environmental management, safety, and services. There are 16 criteria for marinas.
This marks the 29th year of the Blue Flag beach selection, and José Archer stated that the progress of Portuguese beaches is evident.
The purpose of the Blue Flag campaign in Europe is to raise awareness among citizens, especially decision-makers, about the issues affecting marine and coastal environments and to encourage actions that contribute to solving these problems. The Blue Flag campaign focuses on three areas: beaches, coasts, and boating, with beaches being the most prominent.
Note: The Blue Flag campaign was initiated in 1987 by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEEE). In Portugal, the European Blue Flag Association's Portuguese branch was established at the request of various departments responsible for coastal affairs, including tourism, and serves as the national action committee of the FEEE in Portugal.
In 1989, only 100 beaches in Portugal were awarded the Blue Flag, and by 2006, this number exceeded 200. Last year, Portugal had a total of 277 beaches that received the "Blue Flag" high-quality designation. The northern region of Portugal has 67 Blue Flag beaches, while the central region has 27. The Algarve region has 69 Blue Flag beaches, 14 of which have yacht marinas.
This year, among the beaches awarded the Blue Flag, 283 are located in coastal areas. Three new beaches have been added to the list: Canaveias (Central Portugal), Praia da Pampilhosa da Serra (Tejo River area), and Beliche (Algarve).
Leading the list is the world-renowned Algarve region, which has 85 Blue Flag beaches, an increase of 16 from last year; the northern region of Portugal has 65 Blue Flag beaches this year, a decrease of 2; the central region remains unchanged with 27 Blue Flag beaches; the Tejo River area has increased by 5 Blue Flag beaches, totaling 54; Alentejo has decreased by 1, totaling 26; the Azores have 31 Blue Flag beaches this year, while Madeira has 11, a decrease of 4 from last year.
As the weather gradually warms up, gather a few friends and head to the beach to enjoy the comfortable beaches of Portugal!