If you’ve ever claimed that surfing makes you care more about the ocean, here’s a chance to prove it.
Conservation International has launched Surf For The Ocean, a global campaign that encourages surfers to log waves, raise funds and help protect the coastlines and ecosystems that make surfing possible in the first place.
Backed by the WSL’s One Ocean initiative and supported by surfers including Kai Lenny, Bettylou Sakura Johnson, Seth Moniz and Miguel Pupo, the campaign aims to raise money for the creation of more surf protected areas around the world.
The concept is simple. Sign up, create a profile and track your activity in the ocean. Whether you’re surfing, swimming, running the beach, picking up rubbish or simply supporting from the sidelines, participants can rally friends and family to donate while competing on a global leaderboard.
The campaign officially kicks off on International Surfing Day, 20 June, during the Rio Pro in Saquarema, Brazil.
At the heart of the initiative is a push to protect surf breaks through community-led conservation projects. These surf protected areas combine legal protection with local stewardship, helping safeguard waves, reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows and coastal habitats while supporting the communities that rely on them.
It’s an ambitious goal. By 2030, Conservation International hopes to more than double the reach of its surf conservation program, which has already helped establish 40 surf protected areas across the globe.
According to the organisation, those projects currently protect more than 120 surf spots, support over 20,000 local people and conserve more than 700 square miles of coastal and marine habitat.
Some of the most notable examples can be found in Brazil, where four National Surfing Reserves have recently been established, while community-led projects in Indonesia have reportedly improved reef health and boosted incomes for local fishers.
For Hawaiian waterman Kai Lenny, the campaign is about protecting the natural systems that sit behind every good wave.
“Surfing has changed my life and the lives of so many others,” said Kai. “It’s important to me that we protect the ecosystems that make surfing possible so future generations can enjoy the same connection to the ocean.”
The campaign arrives at a time when many of the world’s most beloved surf zones are facing growing pressure from coastal development, pollution and climate change. While surfers have long been vocal advocates for protecting their local breaks, Surf For The Ocean aims to connect that passion to tangible conservation outcomes on a global scale.
Anyone keen to get involved can sign up individually or as part of a team, with funds supporting surf conservation projects in places including Indonesia, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, Fiji and beyond.
