Surf Economics Panel at The Coastal Society

This summer perhaps the first panel on the economics of surfing will be held as part of The Coastal Society's 21st Annual Conference.

The panel, entitled "THE SOCIOECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT OF SURFING AREAS: INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES FROM MEXICO, SPAIN, CALIFORNIA AND AUSTRALIA" will feature discussions on the economics in Mexico, Australia, Mundaka and Trestles.

Panelists include:

Chad Nelsen, Surfrider Foundation
Neil Lazarow, The Australian National University
Maria Bernal, Save the Waves Coalition
Melissa Murphy, Save the Waves Coalition
Paula Pijoan, Autonomous University of Baja California

Linwood Pendleton will be moderating the session.

Come check it out. If you can't make it you can read the paper here.

Avenida Del Mar Surf Shop Bonanza

You can practically watch the economic impacts of surfing in real time on San Clemente's Avenida Del Mar...

In 2004, San Clemente's main drag (Avenida Del Mar) had one "Mom & Pop" surf shop called Rocky's Surf Shop

A couple of years later Killer Dana opens a surf shop down the street, expanding from their successful shop in Dana Point.

Sadly, increasing leases and tighter competition lead to to the closure of Rocky's.

Rocky's is soon replaced by a Hobie surf shop - a success regional of shops in Orange County. Hobie's open's not one but two different shops on Del Mar!

Not a year later there are rumors that a Jack's surf shop will also be opening a store on Del Mar.

In 4 years, 3 of the most prominent Orange County surf retailers all opened a store on the Avenida.

I am sure they all hope that Trestles is saved!

What’s your surf spot worth?

Help us find out. Researchers at UCLA are conducting a survey of surfers who surf at California surf spots to evaluate their worth. You can help by visiting this link and filling out the survey.

http://www.beachology.com/surf

Your participation can help us better protect and manage California surf spots in the future.

Background:

Researchers at UCLA are conducting a research project on the economics of surfing. For part of the project they are planning to assess the economic value of surf spots in California. To do so they need to get as many surfers who surf California surf spots as possible to fill out a web-based survey within 24 hours of surfing. The more surfers who fill out the survey the more accurate the estimation. The results will be used in a model to estimate the economic value of surf spots in California.

List of surf spots:

1. Seaside Reef
2. Cardiff Reef
3. Swami’s
4. Oceanside Pier North Side
5. Oceanside North Jetty
6. San Onofre
7. Trestles
8. Doheny
9. Salt Creek
10. 40st Street Newport
11. 54th and 56th Streets Newport
12. Huntington Peer Southside
13. Huntington Pier Northside
14. Manhattan Beach Pier
15. El Porto
16. Malibu Surfrider Beach
17. C Street
18. Rincon
19. Pleasure Point
20. Steamer Lane
21. South Ocean Beach -Sloat
22. North Ocean Beach

Save Trestles

Photo: Branimir Kvartuc

On February 6th, in front of over 2500 activists, the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 and found that the proposed 241 Toll road is not consistent with the California Coastal Act. A big win for coastal conservation and protection of surfing at Trestles.

Associated Press story about the hearing

There were at least two interesting things about this issue that relate to surf economics.

First, both the Coastal Commission staff and the AP story above referred to the high usage of Trestles (almost 400,000 visits a year) and also the economic impact to the City of San Clemente ( up to $13 million/year) in their reports on the issue.

Second, the TCA who is promoting the toll road argued that the road was necessary for access and also that surfers were being selfish and didn’t want the road to “expose” their local surf spot. These arguments are easily countered by showing a map of where surfers come from in order to surf at Trestles - they come from all over southern California - and that Trestles is one of the most heavily used surfing spots in the US. Access doesn't seem to be a limiting factor!


Origin of surfers visiting Trestles based on zip code
(Nelsen, C. et. al. 2007. Socioeconomics of surfers at Trestles Beach. Shore & Beach 74(4))

Spicoli

Jeff Spicoli, one of Sean Penn's early roles, has become one of the most recognizable characters in surf movie history. Spicoli epitomized the ultimate surfer stereo type - he was a perpetually stoned surfer who could care less about school or the rules.

As Spicoli put it, "All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine."

This entertaining Hollywood character may have done more to perpetuate the surfer stereotype and done more damage to the reputation of the surfers than any other characterization.

Today's surfers around the world, many of whom are extremely successful professionals, are responsible parents or highly paid professional athletes still suffer from this negative stereotype.

While we still have a long way to go, the good news is that things are changing as surfing become more mainstream (at least there is an upside) and there is less bias towards surfers.

Surfer Stereotype Dispelled in Pismo Beach

Yesterday, I gave a talk at the H20 Conference entitled Dispelling the Surfer Stereotype based on my research on the socioeconomics of surfing at Trestles Beach in Southern California.

Ted Ehring, a councilmember of the City of Pismo Beach, was in attendance and he commented that while Pancho's Surf Shop was a leading contributer to the City's tax base, he was under the impression that surfers didn't really contribute much to the economy of his coastal city. He was startled to hear that I estimated a range of economic impacts to the City of San Clemente by surfers who visit Trestles to be between 8 and 13 million dollars a year. He requested a copy of my power point to share it with others.

I guess it worked- for a least one person the surfer stereotype was dispelled.

What is your $urf $pot Worth...

What is your surf spot worth? For most surfers the immediate answer is that a surf spot, especially a good one, is priceless. How can one put a value on the mystical connection with nature, the mental healing, the adrenaline rush, and the good times spent with friends in the line up?

While many would agree that attempting to put a dollar value on a wave is sacrilege, in this increasingly market-driven, capitalistic world we live in explaining the value of waves with dollars and cents may be one of the best tools wave have to protect and save waves.

This is a blurb from an article I wrote for Surfshot's Ecologic column.

You can read the whole thing here