Blue Flag Initiative                                      

The Blue Flag Programme is an internationally recognized voluntary environmental certification initiative for beaches and marinas. This certification program initially began in 1987 with 244 beaches and 208 marinas awarded Blue Flag certification in 10 European countries. In 2005, this increased to 2,400 beaches and 630 marinas awarded certification in 28 countries worldwide.
In 1995, The World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) recognized the value of this program to countries outside of the European continent and lobbied the organization responsible for managing the programme, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) to extend this initiative beyond Europe.

Blue Flag in the Caribbean Region

In 2001, a consortium, Caribbean Blue Flag Consortium, consisting of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (C.T.O.), The Caribbean Conservation Association and Caribbean Hotel Association (C.H.A.) was established to evaluate the feasibility of the Blue Flag programme in the region. This consortium was responsible for the management of the Blue Flag program during the regional pilot phase of the program. 

Blue Flag in the Caribbean Region

The management of the Bahamas’ Blue Flag programme carried out by a National Blue Flag Committee consisting of
• The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation
• The Bahamas Environment Science and Technology Commission (BEST)
• The Nature Conservancy (Bahamas Office)
• Port Authority (Bahamas Office)
• Envirologic Ltd. (a private environmental consultancy)
• The Department of Environmental Health Services (D.E.H.S)
• Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation (BREEF)
This committee is responsible for preparing marinas for possible certification as well as reviewing nomination applications prior to recommending the applicants to the International Jury located in Denmark.
In 2002, The Bahamas became one of five countries (including Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Barbados) to join the “pilot phase” of the Blue Flag campaign in the region. 
Based on the initial pilot phase, three marinas within the Islands of The Bahamas have achieved Blue Flag status. 

They are as follows:
Old Bahama Bay Marina, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas
Atlantis Marina, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Cape Eleuthera Marina, Eleuthera, The Bahamas