US National Jury
February saw our first meeting of the National Jury! We ran through what a typical evaluation would look like and discussed the rules of procedure. National Jury members voted unanimously to pass the National Criteria edits which came out of working group meetings. National Jury members, National criteria, and application process will be announced at the National Workshop in the Fall.
Moving Forward
We are looking to support our pilots through criteria tool-kits and coordinate our National Workshop-the last two steps in implementing the program in a new country. The National workshop will feature presentations on the program and process by staff and feature partners who work on similar missions and programs. Want to present? Email Annie
ASBPA Coastal Conference
September 28- October 1 ASBPA is hosting a National Coastal Conference in New Orleans, LA. Abstracts are due May 1 and more information is on the ASBPA conferences page.
A Blue Flag Hello From Canada!
We at Swim Drink Fish, are so excited to see ASBPA enter its pilot year of the Blue Flag program. Swim Drink Fish has been the national operator for Blue Flag in Canada since early 2020 and has been working hard to develop the program to work best for our beaches and marinas. Our waters go beyond the national boundaries, so continued collaboration with ASBPA feels natural as we look to improve coasts across North America.
In 2020, Canada had 24 Blue Flag Beaches and 7 Marinas. We’ve found that the program has been a great way to highlight the work being done by beach and marina managers to make their sites safe, environmentally friendly, educational, and accessible to all. The Blue Flag sites have set a new standard for what it means to be an exemplary beach or marina. If you’re interested in learning more about what Blue Flag means to Canada, check out this article from the Great Lakes Guide.
All the best from Canada,
The Swim Drink Fish Team