Today, St George's Bay can accommodate hundreds of sun bathers ina Blue Flag certified environment

St. George’s bay achieves blue flag Certificate

St. George’s Bay is located along Malta’s northeast coast within the tourist area of St. Julian’s. Today the bay is popular with tourists and locals alike, but it hasn’t always been this way. Indeed, the bay looks very different today than it did just four years ago. In 2000, the greatly eroded sandy beach provided very little space for bathers. Small pockets of sand were all that was available. There was no management of the beach and space was further restricted by vehicles driving and parking on the beach. So what’s changed?

St. George’s Bay was the first beach in Malta to undergo a replenishment programme. The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) recognised the potential of the beach and in 1998 decided to embark on a project that would see the beach transformed into a clean and welcoming site.

The project involved many aspects. The first step was to carry out all the necessary environmental studies to ensure that replenishment of the beach would not result in any major negative environmental impacts, and to ensure that environmental benefits would be accrued. A detailed marine survey was carried out and the results were used to develop a beach restoration plan. Once a preliminary plan was developed more detailed scientific studies were carried out over a number of years. These studies were subjected to quality assurance throughout their execution. An Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out to ensure that the potential impacts resulting from the project were properly understood and measures to reduce these incorporated into the project design. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) granted a permit for the development of the project in 2000.

Work on the detailed design, sand movement, and ancillary infrastructural improvements (which included the construction of culverts to divert storm water from the beach, the replacement of sewage infrastructure, and installation of utilities) commenced in 2003.

In May 2004, the beach was replenished and subjected to a monitoring programme that aimed to obtain information on the stability of the beach in terms of whether sand was being lost and to ascertain the quality of the water in the bay and the response of marine organisms.

Besides replenishing the beach, MTA committed to embellishing the area. A promenade was constructed that segregated the road from the beach, no longer allowing access of vehicles to the beach. The promenade also served to improve the visual amenity of the area. The implementation of a landscaping scheme sealed the transformation of St. George’s Bay.

But MTA had higher ambitions – to achieve an internationally recognised standard for St. George’s Bay - the Blue Flag status.

Blue Flag

The Blue Flag is an eco-label awarded to beaches and marinas that comply with a number of criteria designed to ensure that those beaches and marinas awarded the label are working towards sustainable development. The criteria address water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management and safety and other services and require maintained outstanding performance in these areas. Over 3,200 beaches and marinas from over 36 countries have been awarded the Blue Flag. The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an international non-government organization (NGO), is responsible for the Blue Flag Scheme and is represented in Malta by the local environmental NGO, Nature Trust.

This year, the FEE and Nature Trust informed the MTA that St. George’s Bay, being the first beach in Malta to achieve Blue Flag status, has been awarded Blue Flag certificate in preparation a Blue Flag beach next year.

What’s in the Bay?

A number of important marine habitats are found in St. George’s Bay. The bay hosts two species of seagrass – Neptune Grass (Posidonia oceanica) and Lesser Neptune Grass (Cymodocea nodosa). Seagrasses are very productive and provide important nursery, breeding and feeding habitat for several species of fish and invertebrates such as snails, shrimp, crabs and sea urchins. Posidonia oceanica is only found in the Mediterranean and therefore its conservation is very important.

A number of algal forests (seaweed) are located on the rocky seabed skirting St. George’s Bay. Algal forests have high ecological value because they support an extensive diversity of marine fauna. Although seaweed communities are quite common they are sensitive to pollution and habitat modification. They therefore act as bioindicators because the health of these communities provides an indication of the general quality of the environment in the area.

Bare sand is another feature of the bay. Although void of vegetation, this habitat type often contains a rich infaunal community (i.e. organisms that live in the sand).

Future’s So Bright

The success of the replenishment and Blue Flag recognition of St. George’s Bay proves that environmental protection and sustainable tourism can work hand-in-hand to provide a win-win situation. The environment at St. George’s Bay has considerably improved and as a result, tourists are flocking to the area. Managing the beach in accordance with Blue Flag criteria ensures that human impacts are mitigated as far as possible through a waste management programme, environmental education, and environmental management.

MTA looks forward to extending this success story and is committed to the continued implementation of environmental initiatives including the achievement of Blue Flag status for other beaches throughout the Maltese Islands.