Surfing’s $3B impact drives global conservation effort
Surfing supports $3B in economic value. Join global experts at the 2026 World Surfing Conservation Conference, now open for abstracts.
Surfing is Australia’s second most practiced water-based board sport contributing $3 billion annually to the national economy says Senior Academic Researcher.
Call for papers abstracts available for World Surfing Conservation Conference 2026.
“Surfing is Australia’s second most practiced water-based board sport after swimming, contributing $3 billion annually to the national economy whilst helping participants improve their personal and social wellbeing,” said Dr Ana Manero, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. who is leading a project to build a systematic understanding of surfing’s multiple values — economic, environmental, cultural, and social.
Fresh from speaking at the recent United Nations Oceans Decade Conference at Nice, France, Dr Manero is on the Gold Coast conducting research on the Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve learning from its cases on how to extend her research with the development of Western Australia’s first statewide guidelines for the sustainable management of surf breaks.
“Despite all these benefits, surf breaks remain largely invisible to the planning frameworks that shape Australia’s shorelines. Without formal recognition and protection, surf breaks are vulnerable to irreversible impacts from coastal changes, such as erosion or new infrastructure,” said Dr Manero.
“Tourism and recreation make up 50% of the global ocean-based economy. Sustainable surfing can play a major role in the blue economy, but we need to make sure that coastal development decisions support the long-term health of surfing ecosystems.”
Dr Manero is a key speaker at next year’s World Surfing Conservation Conference to be held at Gold Coast Campus Southern Cross University 23 – 26th February 2026.
Call for papers/abstracts are now available for World Surfing Conservation Conference 2026. Click HERE to register.
The World Surfing Conservation Conference seeks to bring together the best and brightest minds from all over the world addressing ocean conservation issues and concerns and the impact on its surfing ecosystems including themes of health & well-being, climate change, coastal protection, shark mitigation, surf industry, innovation, gender and indigenous culture.
Hosted by Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve the 8th WSR, invitations have been sent out to all the likeminded organisations and leading experts to present their findings and sustainable solutions on the many problems affecting beach & surf amenity during the four-day Conference.
The 2026 World Surfing Conservation Conference is supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Business Events Program (TEQ) & Experience Gold Coast. Other supporters include Southern Cross University, EMRO, Brazilian Style Imports, Matanivusi Resort, Fiji, Villa Santai, Rote, Surfmud sunscreen, & GG Enviro.
Registrations to book tickets and attend the Conference will open at the end of July 2025.
For further information go to the following websites: wscc2026.com.au and www.goldcoastworldsurfingreserve.com
Recent articles from Dr Ana Manero and associates’ research:
Manero, A. (2025). Surfing Economics: Understanding, Managing and Protecting the Value of Surfing Ecosystems. In: Kennedy, D.M. (eds) The Science and Culture of Surfing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80979-8_9
Manero, A., Leon, J. X., Lazarow, N., Spencer-Cotton, A., Wegener, T., Jarratt, P., & Pearce, T. (2025). Surfing at the Noosa World Surfing Reserve, Australia: Direct Expenditure and Travel Cost Analyses of Recreational Surfing. Coastal Management, 52(6), 449-470.https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2025.2443376
Manero, A., Yusoff, A., Lane, M., & Verreydt, K. (2024). A national assessment of the economic and wellbeing impacts of recreational surfing in Australia. Marine Policy, 167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106267
Manero, A., George, P., Yusoff, A., Olive L., & White, J. (2024). Understanding surfing as a ‘blue space’ activity for its contributions to health and wellbeing. npj Ocean Sustainability 3, 37 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-024-00076-4
Manero A. & Mach, L. (2023) Valuing surfing ecosystems: an environmental economics and natural resources management perspective. Tourism Geographies. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2023.2261909
Manero A. (2023). A case for protecting the value of ‘surfing ecosystems’. npj Ocean Sustainability, 2(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-00014-w