OBC LANDS SUPREME AWARD
Auckland’s Outboard Boating Club (OBC) has
been recognised for its determined commitment to environmental performance with
a Supreme Best Practice Award.
It was presented by Keep New Zealand
Beautiful – the administrater of the international Blue Flag environmental certification
system in New Zealand – and comes just three years after OBC qualified for the prestigious
Blue Flag programme.
The Blue Flag programme audits and
recognises marinas, beaches and eco-tourism boats in 47 countries around the
world.
Keep New Zealand Beautiful’s Christine
White this is the first time it has introduced the Supreme Best Practice Award
to recognise a Blue Flag marina, beach or boating operator that has
consistently exceeded the international standards of the Blue Flag criteria.
“The award recognises outstanding
commitment to continuous improvement in environmental, educational and safety
criteria. OBC has been recognised for its ongoing commitment to improving their
facilities and operational practices across all areas of the Blue Flag
criteria.”
Says OBC Commodore Bill Berry: “With
ongoing information campaigns and training events our members and staff know
the high standard they must adhere to across our marina, the boat ramps and in the
maintenance of their boats. As a result, club members are also increasingly
conscious about the way they go about their recreational boating and fishing
and we see this as a great benefit of being part of a progressive club.
“The motivation that drives us to do better
is the beautiful Hauraki Gulf environment in front of us every day at OBC. However,
enjoying the Gulf we also realise that it is an environment that is experiencing
significant challenges, especially the impact of pollution. The recent closures
of many of its beaches due to poor, polluted water is now a regular occurrence.
At the same time, we are also facing the growing threat of climate change which
will exacerbate the ecosystem problems of the Waitemata and Hauraki Gulf.”
Blue Flag focusses on five main areas:
Environmental education and information, Environmental management, Boating
Safety and Service facilities, Water quality and Social Responsibility.
