Empesca't raises the Q flag for Tourist Quality at the Estartit Beach

The Empesca’t project has been chosen this year to raise the Q flag for Tourist Quality on the Platja Gran de l’Estartit in an event held this Friday morning. The flag certifies the good environmental quality and services of the beach and each year it is raised by a personality or group that has stood out for their contribution to the municipality.

With this symbolic action, the departments of Coastal Management and Beaches, and of Torroella-l’Estartit-Illes Medes Tourist Destination wanted to recognize the work of the group to value artisanal fishing and local products.

Empesca’t claims local artisanal fishing

Empesca’t is a quality brand for artisanal fishing products from L’Estartit and L’Escala, regulated, managed and certified by the Costa Brava Minor Arts Association. Empesca’t’s partner and president of the L’Estartit Fishermen’s Guild, Joan Massagué, thanked the recognition that this event represents for his project and expressed his desire to make it grow. At the same time, he highlighted that selling the fish caught in L’Estartit in L’Estartit „is the most logical thing“. This year, Empesca’t joins renowned groups such as the healthcare personnel who worked during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ítaca Festival or the Sepia project, to name a few examples from recent years.

Appreciation for the work of municipal staff

The councilor for Coastal Management and Beaches, Jordi Roura , highlighted the importance of having this type of certification and that this „endorses the good work that is being done“. He thanked the municipal staff who work to ensure that the beach and promenade of L’Estartit are recognized as quality spaces and encouraged them to keep „the bar high and improve in everything they can“. The president of the EMD, Genís Dalmau , thanked the work of the Torroella de Montgrí City Council to maintain investments in the beach and the work done by the municipal services to achieve this recognition. He also wanted to congratulate Empesca’t for its work in promoting local fish and for committing to the direct sale of what is caught in L’Estartit. For his part, Mayor Jordi Colomí assured that the Q Flag of Quality endorses the good work done by the municipal services and valued that on „the largest beach in l’Estartit“ people feel „safe“ and „the environment is respected“. Regarding Empesca’t Colomí indicated that it is a „project that roots us in the territory“ and that „ties“ with the sustainability policies promoted by the City Council and the EMD. He also assured that a quality product is promoted that benefits both tourism and the people who live in the municipality all year round.

A flag that certifies the excellent quality of the beach

The Q flag for Tourist Quality is a prestigious certificate granted by the Secretary of State for Tourism and managed by the Institute for Spanish Tourist Quality (ICTE). It is awarded to beaches that comply with the UNE 187001 standard and pass strict controls and requirements that take into account issues such as the cleanliness of the water, its suitability for bathing, the hygienic conditions of the sand and beach services, security and surveillance services and ease of access for people with reduced mobility. The Platja Gran de l’Estartit has several seals that certify the quality of the water, sand and its services. Since 2006 it has had the Integrated Quality and Environmental Management System (SIGQMA) and since June 2004 it has been working with the beach quality plan applying the European EMAS Regulation and the ISO and ISO 9001 standards. The Q flag for Tourist Quality has been flying in l’Estartit continuously since 2010.

A beach with all the services

Platja Gran is the main beach in L’Estartit and has bars, walkways to access the beaches, sunbeds, parasols and water activities, surveillance and easy access for people with reduced mobility with amphibious chairs and crutches, bathroom assistance service, and railings and lifelines.