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GEORGE NEWS AND VIDEO - Wilderness beach has entered the fray for Blue Flag status again. Yesterday morning, Monday 3 December, a white flag was hoisted at the beach to indicate its Pilot Blue Flag status.
Pilot status is the first step toward Blue Flag status. Inspectors from Wessa (Wildlife and Environment society of South Africa), the organisers of the Blue Flag programme, will be monitoring the beach in the year to come, and if the criteria have been met, the beach will be flying a blue flag for next year’s festive season.
The Garden Route District Municipality and the George Municipality are jointly responsible for Wilderness beach. The beach had Blue Flag status in 2016 but because of “administrative” problems did not apply again. Representatives of both municipalities are optimistic that Blue Flag status will be awarded in 2019.
George Mayor Melvin Naik said he would like to see the service at Wilderness beach extended to other beaches such as Victoria Bay and Herold’s Bay. This will mean that the municipality will apply for Blue Flag status for these beaches too.
Massimo Mariotti of the nearby Salinas beach restaurant told the George Herald that foreign visitors, especially from Europe, look out for Blue Flag status and prefer to use such beaches.
Currently no beach in the George municipal area has full Blue Flag status.
Watch a video below.
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