Archer framed this against the change in testing rules taking place in the meanwhile with the frequency dropping from fortnightly to monthly, and taking into consideration the last 20 samples instead of the last year.

Emphasising how this meant one bad result would have a greater impact on the attribution of flags, in a European directive that the association imposed, this year’s results had been positive with the Tagus region gaining an additional five blue flagged beaches.

However, six beaches on the continent and six on Madeira had lost their flags due to the changeover in rules.

Archer, however, pointed to how the Lisbon recreational ports of Santo Amaro and Oeiras and the Parque das Nações marina had still retained their flags.

The Azores also saw an additional five blue flags get awarded for 2015 against the loss of one whilst in the North of Portugal, Caminha saw all of its beaches pick up the blue flag for the first time in 26 years.