Top Catch Charters creates history with Blue Flag award

History was created in Tobago on Friday when boat operator Top Catch Charters was acknowledged for receiving the prestigious Blue Flag award in 2021.

Top Catch Charters is the first boat operator in the entire English-speaking Caribbean to receive the award.

Blue Flag is an eco-label with high brand recognition in the international tourism market. It is also one of the world's most recognised voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boat operators.

The programme is owned and managed by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation, Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), based in Denmark.

During a simple ceremony on Friday at Merci Buccoo Hall, Buccoo, Top Catch Charters managing director Shivonne Peters said when her team got the opportunity to expand their operations, they wanted to be different.

“We didn’t want to be the typical run-of-the-mill service. We wanted to really extend that passion that we have. We have a serious passion and commitment for Tobago’s natural environment,” she said.

Peters said she and fellow boat owner Kirth Mc Pherson have been involved in environmental sustainability for many years.

Saying Mc Pherson’s family was among the first tour operators on the island, Peters said as a marine scientist, she constantly researches the marine environment.

“So, we really wanted to have our guests experience sustainability when they come on board the vessel. We didn’t just want it to be an on-the-vessel experience. We wanted it to extend beyond the life of a tour.

“So, we would give out reusable bamboo straws as sort of a keepsake – something that they could really use to make your actions sustainable in the long term.”

Peters said the Blue Flag award to Top Catch Charters is the “realisation of a dream of things we have been doing from day one.”

She encouraged all of the other boat operators in Tobago to get on board.

“This has to be collective effort moving forward. We have so much to be thankful for in Tobago. We have so much natural beauty around us but each of us has to play our part in protecting that beautiful marine environment.”

Peters said the Blue Flag award is not just a win for Top Catch Charters but Tobago.

Narendra Ramgoolam, director, product development and destination management, Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL) said Top Catch Charters met the Blue Flag criteria even before signing on the programme.

“When we started looking at the audit process...we looked through the documents and Top Catch was checking off all of those areas without even applying for Blue Flag,” he said.

“They were fulfilling the first aid requirement, the safety practices, the equipment, they had recycling in their boat. But what impressed me as well were the bamboo plates, the cutlery. So, they were already operating in an environmental manner without even applying for Blue Flag.”

Ramgoolam described the award as a huge achievement.

“It is the first in the region. But it is also the first public-private partnership to achieve Blue Flag in the region as well. So that is a huge accomplishment as well.”

He said the award also balances recreation and conservation.

“It is a win-win on both sides.”

Ramgoolam said he hopes the award will be a catalyst so that others will come on board “so we will work together to build out the products in Tobago and align it with our brand, our image, our identity.”

TTAL CEO Louis Lewis and programme co-ordinator Green TT Michelle Lewis also spoke.