California Bill Ignites Push to Protect Iconic Surf Breaks as Official ‘Surfing Reserves’
Malibu, Rincon, Trestles, Maverick’s…
These are some of California’s most iconic surf spots, each one steeped in history, and shaping the global surf community in its own unique way for generations.
And one California lawmakers is seeking to protect these hallowed waves by creating “surfing reserves.” Assembly member Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, has introduced a bill, AB 1938, which “will establish a process to designate state surfing reserves in order to recognize the cultural, historical, economic, and ecological significance of California’s waves, surf zones, and their surrounding environment.” See below.
“We look at it as much more of a way to increase tourism and call attention to these zones as areas that should be protected,” Irwin told The Sacramento Bee. “Certainly in the future, you could look at having surfing reserves be part of (land conservation programs). We just are trying ... to do a first step that’ll have a low cost and could really create a lot of excitement.”
As far as an economic impact on a popular surf spot, that’s somewhat of a nebulous thing to calculate. However, according to a study done by Save the Waves – another organization with the goal of protecting surf spots – they found that Santa Cruz surf spots generate more than $194.7 million per year for the local economy. That’s a lot of money.
“We now understand at a granular scale how a local economy is bolstered by the sport of surfing. At Save The Waves, we knew we needed more than Surfonomics. So we studied how that economic value is threatened by climate change through the loss of surf breaks to sea level rise,” said Trent Hodges, lead of the study for Save The Waves Coalition.
Plus, with surfing coming to California for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, and the event being hosted at San Clemente’s famed Lower Trestles, protecting these sanctified surf spots is more important than ever.
According to reports, Irwin’s bill was scheduled for a vote late Monday.