Blue Flag Certification

What Blue Flag means

• FEE began Blue Flag in France in 1985. It expanded across Europe in 1987 and beyond Europe in 2001. See FEE’s programme page.
• FEE works with a national operator in each country. Local beach managers do the daily work.
• Blue Flag covers beaches, marinas, and tourism boats. Each type has its own rules.
• A beach award does not certify nearby hotels, the whole coastline, or every activity there.
• FEE’s older beach guide lists 33 criteria. Its current pages group the rules in six broad areas. Check the version and site type when an exam asks for an exact number.

Four beach criterion groups

• These are the four groups in FEE’s 2021 beach guide. The details can change when criteria are updated.
• Clean sand alone is not enough. Water tests, safe access, and good management also matter.

India’s first awards and later count

• In October 2020, eight Indian beaches received Blue Flag awards. They spanned five states and two Union Territories. See the 2020 PIB release.
• They were Shivrajpur, Ghoghla, Kasarkod, Padubidri, Kappad, Rushikonda, Golden Beach, and Radhanagar.
• Radhanagar, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is a useful example. See Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• India’s environment ministry reported 18 Blue Flag beaches for 2025-26, across seven states and four Union Territories. See the PIB count and the Akashvani note on Maharashtra additions.
• That is a dated government total, not a lifetime guarantee. Check FEE’s current site map before travel.

BEAMS is a separate Indian programme

• BEAMS helps Indian beaches improve management. The Environment Ministry runs it through SICOM. See the NCSCM note.
• BEAMS focuses on cleaner beaches, water quality, safety, and environmental learning. It can help a site prepare for Blue Flag.
• BEAMS does not award the international Blue Flag. FEE’s process does that.
• FEE lists the Society for Sustainable Urban Development, called Blue Flag India, as the Indian national operator.
• SICOM’s government support and FEE’s national operator are different bodies.

From application to award

• The steps are: apply, check, national review, international review, award, and keep meeting the rules.
• The local manager prepares the beach and sends records. These include water-test results and facility details.
• The national operator coordinates the application. A national jury reviews it. Then an international jury considers the award.
• Awarded sites must meet the rules through their stated season. Monitoring visits can check this.
• If a site fails a rule, it may need to fix the problem. Its flag can be withdrawn under FEE procedures.
• Always check the displayed season. Last year’s award does not prove this year’s status.

Benefits, costs, and legal limits

• Clear water information and safer facilities help residents as well as visitors. The flag can also draw tourists.
• But water sampling, rescue staff, and toilet upkeep cost money every season.
• More visitors may mean more litter, crowding, and damage to dunes or nesting areas. Managers must protect these places too.
• Blue Flag is not a legal permit. It does not replace India’s coastal rules or other approvals.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules govern many coastal activities. Blue Flag is a voluntary site award.
• A beach can be clean without a Blue Flag. An awarded beach still needs daily care and local safety checks.