Everyone loves going to the beach and if a beach has a Blue Flag flying it is the sign that you have arrived at one of the very best in the world. In addition to having beach weather almost every day of the year we also have some very nice beaches. Gran Canaria currently has (as announced 15 May, 2015) 13 blue flag beaches, more than any other Canary Island and additionally the marinas at Pasito Blanco and Puerto de Mogan have also been awarded the blue flag.
These beaches offer extensive facilities, excellent safety procedures and of course lovely clean sand and water. At the end of the page you can see all the requirments listed in order to have obtained a blue flag.
Our blue flag beaches are :-
Las Palmas: Las Canteras, El Confital.
San Bartolomé de Tirajana: San Agustín, Maspalomas, Meloneras, El Inglés.
Telde: Hoya del Pozo, Salinetas y Melenara.
Mogán: Amadores, Puerto de Mogán.
Arucas: El Puertillo Los Charchones
What is a Blue Flag Beach?
1) Environmental Education and Information
Information about the Blue Flag must be displayed.
Environmental education activities must be offered and promoted to beach users.
Information about bathing water quality must be displayed.
Information relating to local eco-systems and environmental phenomena must be displayed.
A map of the beach indicating different facilities must be displayed.
A code of conduct that reflects appropriate laws governing the use of the beach and surrounding areas must be displayed.
2) Water Quality
The beach must fully comply with the water quality sampling and frequency requirements.
The beach must fully comply with the standards and requirements for water quality analysis.
No industrial, waste-water or sewage-related discharges should affect the beach area.
The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for the microbiological parameter faecal coli bacteria (E.coli) and intestinal enterococci/streptococci.
The beach must comply with the Blue Flag requirements for physical and chemical parameters.
3) Environmental Management
The local authority/beach operator should establish a beach management committee.
The local authority/beach operator must comply with all regulations affecting the location and operation of the beach.
Sensitive area management.
The beach must be clean.
Algae vegetation or natural debris should be left on the beach.
Waste disposal bins/containers must be available at the beach in adequate numbers and they must be regularly maintained.
Facilities for the separation of recyclable waste materials should be available at the beach.
An adequate number of toilet or restroom facilities must be provided.
The toilet or restroom facilities must be kept clean.
The toilet or restroom facilities must have controlled sewage disposal.
There should be no unauthorised camping, driving or dumping of waste on the beach.
Access to the beach by dogs and other domestic animals must be strictly controlled.
All buildings and beach equipment must be properly maintained.
Coral reefs in the vicinity of the beach must be monitored.
A sustainable means of transportation should be promoted in the beach area.
4) Safety and Services
An adequate number of lifeguards and/or lifesaving equipment must be available at the beach.
First aid equipment must be available on the beach.
Emergency plans to cope with pollution risks must be in place.
There must be management of beach users and events to prevent conflicts and accidents.
There must be safety measures in place to protect beach users.
A supply of drinking water should be available at the beach.
Wheelchair access and accessibility features must be in place for at least one Blue Flag beach in each municipality.
