I wanted to share with you a huge milestone for the organization, the movement and to me personally. I am stoked to announce that the Nature Journal of Ocean Sustainability has just published our new paper, “The Surf Ecosystem as an Emerging Framework for Managing Coastal and Marine Resources.”
A few years back, we created a new strategic plan for Save The Waves Coalition, and it included a change to our mission, which became “to protect surf ecosystems around the globe.” Our intent was to create a new conservation category, center our mission around it and have the sector implement the concept at scale.
Since then, the term “surf ecosystem” has been used by the World Surf League, the Global Environment Facility, major NGO partners, municipal governments, academics, and, most importantly, the surf communities themselves.
The term has been translated into many different languages, but it’s often followed by the question: what exactly is a surf ecosystem in practice?
In this new paper, we define the components of a surf ecosystem (geophysical, ecological, and socio-economic), the six different types of surf ecosystems, and how decision-makers can use the surf ecosystem framework to protect land and seascapes within a diversity of different management approaches. All of this builds on the traditional knowledge long understood by Indigenous peoples and practiced in systems in Hawaii, Tahiti, and beyond. It is a gamechanger in being able to scale this work beyond just the small team at Save The Waves and broadcast the concept and tools for many others to use.
For me this is huge step forward, and makes me proud that this mission is resonating across so many sectors.
Please find the paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44183-026-00207-z
A giant shout-out to the co-authors: Diego Sancho Gallegos, Mara Arroyo, Cliff Kapono, and Dan R. Reineman. Again, I appreciate this team very much and all the effort to bring our mission to scale.
Thank you all for the support in this effort Flotilla and Schmidt Marine Technology Partners for the support!
Cheers,
Nik Strong-Cvetich
CEO, Save The Waves Coalition
