Sustainable District

You are here > Home > Our District > Sustainable District > Blue Flag Beaches

Blue Flag Beaches

In 2007 Oakura, Fitzroy and East End beaches became the first Blue Flag accredited beaches in Oceania. This international standard for environmental sustainability, monitoring and education is great news for attracting eco-travellers, as well as confirming the beaches’ quality for locals.

Water quality results

You can get involved in the beaches’ environmental management by taking part in events during the year, such as Seaweek, beach clean-ups and dune plantings.

Blue Flag Beach Criteria

People playing on Oakura beach, which has gained Blue Flag status. The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development at beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and safety and other services.

To become Blue Flag accredited the beaches are required to meet four main criteria as set by the international organisation Foundation for Environmental Education.

1. Environmental education and information

There are several requirements for displaying information about environmental management and providing opportunities for participating in environmental activities.

Each Blue Flag beach has an information board at an entrance to the beach with all the relevant information displayed.

Many of our local and regional partners provide environmental education activities which are related to the Blue Flag programme. A big thank you to our partners for their involvement and association in the Blue Flag programme.

Some environmental education activities offered include:

Department of Conservation's (DOC) Seaweek and other environmental education activities.
Seaweek aims to raise awareness of the coast and ocean and encourages all New Zealanders to help look after their local marine areas. For more information visit the Seaweek website, DOC's website or email mtapp@doc.govt.nz
Puke Ariki provide environmental education activities for schools as part of their 60 Springs programme. The Puke Ariki Education Team are on hand to bring the exhibits alive for students, with interesting and interactive lessons linked to the New Zealand Curriculum and key competencies. The 60 Springs programme seeks to accelerate progress in Taranaki towards becoming a environmentally, socially and economically sustainable region. By engaging young people with the creative process they aim to elicit future focussed responses to these issues, influence the public and build partnerships with communities and local businesses. For more information visit the Puke Ariki website.
Taranaki Regional Council activities.
The regional council plays an active role in Seaweek and other environmental activities including rock pool studies and environmental presentations. For more information visit the TRC website.
New Plymouth District Council events.
The Council's Parks Team run a series of guided walks from December through to March each year. The walks provide the opportunity for you to learn about the history and features of their local parks and reserves. The Council also provides other environmental education activities including beach clean ups and dune plantings, these will be advertised on the Council's website and in the Midweek newspaper.

All events will be advertised on the Blue Flag information boards at the beaches.

2. Water quality

The bathing water quality standard must be excellent. Taranaki Regional Council undertakes water sampling throughout the year and the results are used to determine the water quality for the Blue Flag accreditation.

Blue Flag coastal limit values
(Note, Blue Flag limits differ from the Ministry for Environment guidelines.)

e.Coli readings must be under 250 cfu/100ml
Enterococci readings must be under 100 cfu/100ml

The readings below are measured in colony forming units (cfu/100ml).

Date	Fitzroy Beach		East End Beach		Oakura Beach
	E.Coli	Enterococcii	E.Coli	Enterococcii	E.Coli	Enterococcii
12 Mar	<1	<1	<1	1	28	37
4 Mar	3	3	12	11	7	17
25 Feb	<1	4	51	99	7	7
21 Feb	3	1	55	8	57	47
18 Feb	<1	<1	16	75	7	27
14 Feb	8	8	10	6	6	8
11 Feb	<1	3	<1	4	360	460
7 Feb	5	1	7	4	<1	5
31 Jan	1	36	1	27	31	13
28 Jan	3	3	1	3	8	15
22 Jan	<1	<1	<1	<1	1	3
7 Jan	1	<1	32	35	23	28

More information on water testing can be found on the TRC website.

The Taranaki District Health Board monitors recreational water quality throughout the summer to ensure it is safe recreational activities. For more information on this visit the TDHB website.

3. Environmental management

Each beach must have a beach management committee that coordinates environmental efforts.

Oakura, Fitzroy and East End beaches have established community and stakeholder-based beach management committees. The members of the committees are drawn from community board members, surf lifesaving and boardriders’ clubs, New Plymouth district and Taranaki regional councils, local schools, Department of Conservation and the Taranaki District Health Board.

Key roles of the committees are to:

Enable local and key user groups to be involved in environmental management of the beach area, utilising their knowledge, experience, advice and interest in the local environment.
Ensure information on environmental management is transmitted to the relevant authority.
Assist in the organisation and delivery of environmental management systems and environmental audits of the beach area.
Assist in the organisation and voluntary participation in environmental activities

Keep an eye on this website and on the Blue Flag information boards for any activities organised by these committees.

4. Safety and services

There are several requirements for ensuring safety and providing services at the beach.

The Surf Life Saving Clubs patrol the beach areas throughout summer. The beaches are only patrolled when the red and yellow flags are flying - for your safety, always swim between the flags.

For more information visit the Surf Life Saving New Zealand website.

The beaches have all the required services including toilet facilities, potable drinking water and safe access to the beach.