Surfrider Foundation Principles

Represented by over 50,000 members and 60 local chapters in the U.S., the Surfrider Foundation also has affiliations in Australia, Japan, France, and Brazil. The Surfrider Foundation has adopted the following principles to guide and govern the activities of the organization .

1.Surfriderrecognizes the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the planet's coasts are necessary and irreplaceable. SURFRIDER is committed to preserving natural living and non-living diversity and ecological integrity of the coastal environment.

2. SURFRIDER promotes the right of low impact, free and open access to the world's waves and beaches for all people. SURFRIDER acts to preserve this right of access.

3. SURFRIDER is dedicated to enhancing wave-riding opportunities in ways which will not adversely impact nearshore ecosystems.

4. SURFRIDER believes environmental education is essential to the future health and well- being of the planet. SURFRIDER seeks to develop and utilize educational materials that are informative, factual, proactive, synergistic and fun.

5. SURFRIDER strives to be accurate and nonpartisan in its communications with its members and the general public. In addition, SURFRIDER will express the unique values inherent in wave-riding — individualism, camaraderie, non materialism, and an appreciation for human kind's historic relations with the Ocean.

6. SURFRIDER is a grassroots organization, effective through the participation of its members. SURFRIDER activities emphasize the value of an involved membership. 

7. SURFRIDER encourages all commercial enterprises to adopt the Ceres Principles. Their determination to do so will favorably influence SURFRIDER's willingness to provide support. SURFRIDER will not permit sponsors to divert the Foundation from its mission or projects undertaken.

8. SURFRIDER does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin for any reason. SURFRIDER promotes the healthy enjoyment of the coastal environment for all people.

9. SURFRIDER and its representatives, affiliations and chapters agree to abide by these principles and all rules and regulations governing non-profit organizations. 

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches, for all people, through conservation, activism, research and education.

Surfrider Foundation's unique membership includes ocean enthusiasts of all sorts: Surfers, bodysurfers, bodyboarders, windsurfers, swimmers, divers, beachcombers and ocean-loving families from all walks of life. If you're interested in becoming a member,  call 1-800-743-SURF.
We are all responsible for our oceans!

Please Keep it clean!

Volunteerism is the life blood of the grassroots Surfrider Foundation USA. At the chapter-level, there are all kinds of volunteer activities to do, from beach cleanups to water testing to educational presentations to writing newsletters to attending city council meetings and more.

LATEST NEWS

Oahu, HI (April 12, 2010) – The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in favor of protecting the North Shore of Oahu’s sensitive coastal environment by requiring the Kuilima Resort Company to supplement the 25 year-old environmental impact statement (“EIS”) that was to be used for Turtle Bay Resort expansion.

The original 1985 environmental assessment was held to be outdated because of: (1) the subsequent traffic impact projections, which were originally only analyzed through the year 2000; (2) new population growth, visitor units and hotel demands; and (3) new reports of monk seal populations residing and pupping in the effected area. The court specifically noted the threats to the endangered monk seal and the threatened green sea turtle species that will likely be impacted due to increased human interaction, which was not a contemplated environmental impact in the original EIS.

Surfrider Foundation’s amicus (or “friend of the court”) brief to the Hawaiian State Supreme Court supported the Plaintiffs’ appeal by Keep North Shore Country and the Sierra Club to require a Supplemental EIS that would reflect significant changes to the environment and surrounding community. The High Court agreed with Plaintiffs and Earth Justice attorneys, who authored the amicus brief, in reversing the Intermediate Court of Appeals (“ICA”) ruling. Under the restrictive ICA interpretation, a public agency would not currently be required to do supplemental analysis when the intensity of an environmental impact changes. The Supreme Court reversed this narrow ruling in order to require assessment of new evidence and reports on traffic, species and community changes.

“This is a wonderful victory for the North Shore Community and the future of environmental protection laws in the State of Hawaii,” says Angela Howe, Surfrider Foundation’s Managing Attorney. “The Hawaii Supreme Court has made it clear that new circumstances and new information, especially with the passage of time, must be taken into account for projects to fully comply with the Hawaiian Environmental Policy Act.”

“For years, Surfrider’s Oahu Chapter has been working with other groups like the Defend Oahu Coalition to stop the Kuilima Resort’s massive and unreasonable expansion plans,” says Stuart Coleman, Surfrider’s Hawaii Coordinator. “Along with filing an amicus brief in support of Keep the North Shore Country, the Chapter also directed a $10,000 donation from Barefoot Wines to the cause. So we were stoked to hear the Hawaii Supreme Court’s decision and see justice served in protecting our coastal environment!”