The National WESSA Blue Flag launch in Mossel Bay on Friday awarded seven Eastern Cape beaches Blue Flag status. The Blue Flag status is an international award given to beaches meeting strict criteria for cleanliness, water and sand quality, environmental education and management. The Western Cape achieved the highest number of Blue Flag sites, with 30 beaches, 12 boats and seven of its eight marinas. The Eastern Cape was awarded a Blue Flag for a marina site in Cape St Francis and seven beaches, including Nelson Mandela Bay's Hobie, Humewood and Kings beaches. The four other Blue Flag beaches in the Eastern Cape are Dolphin Beach in Jeffreys Bay, Hamburg, the quiet village between East London and Port Alfred, Kariega in Kenton-on- Sea and Port Alfred’s Kelly’s Beach. Speaking at the event, Tourism Department programme planning and implementation director Patience Molokoza said: “Through programmes like the Tourism Blue Flag Beach Stewards that is implemented by WESSA, we can address the issue of South Africa’s youth unemployment. She said the programme was meant to provide skills and training for the youth. “Programmes like these would not be possible if it were not for partnerships with municipalities..