Surfers call for new laws to protect threatened waves

Surfers Against Sewage is today launching a new campaign calling for UK law to recognise and protect UK surfing waves, beaches and the livelihood of coastal communities.

Sign and share the petition today at: www.protectourwaves.org.uk

SAS’s new Protect Our Waves petition aims to generate over 100,000 signatures to highlight the value of surfing waves and beaches, and encourage Parliament to debate legislation in order to recognise and specifically protect surfing waves as a cultural, social, economic and environmental asset to coastal communities. SAS will deliver the petition to 10 Downing Street in Summer 2013.

British surfing waves are under threat from a growing number of activities around our coastline that could destroy or have long-term devastating impact on some of our most prized surfing beaches. This includes coastal developments, pollution, and restricted access.

Waves are an important and necessary part of the workings of our planet. Surfing beaches and waves also have a deep personal value to surfers and surfing communities around the UK. However, in the UK there is currently no specific legal protection for surfing waves or any assurance that stakeholders, including surfers and surfing communities in Wales, Northern Ireland or England, will be consulted fairly on activities threatening their existence.

Download the Protect Our Waves briefing document…

Other sports and activities such as walking and sailing are formally recognised, represented and consulted during many new development processes. Other areas of outstanding beauty and countryside sites are also protected. But politicians, developers and the wider public in general have very little knowledge of the value, uniqueness and finite nature of surfing waves and the landscapes, swell corridors prevailing weather conditions and other conditions creating good quality waves.

The campaign has already generated support amongst politicians, surfing industry leaders and musicians, including from music star and surfer Ben Howard, Caroline Lucas MP, Lord Taylor, 9 times European longboard champion Ben Skinner and Ben Freeston, founder of leading global surf forecast site Magicseaweed.com, which has a reach of 1.5 million unique users.

Surfers Against Sewage is calling for legislation to better recognize and protect UK surfing waves and beaches. Revised criteria could work within the existing Marine & Coastal Access Act, revised Bathing Water Directive, Water Framework Directive and the Clean Neighborhood & Environment Act or be set up as a new piece of legislation.

SAS is delighted to have the support of Magicseaweed to help achieve the ambitious target of 100,000 signatures and look forward to delivering the petition to Downing Street with them next year.

POW campaign posters

POW petition creative:

M&C Saatchi
M&C Saatchi has created a campaign for Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) to launch the charity’s Protect Our Waves petition. The creative features three apocalyptic surfing associated images, featuring a coffin, noose and graveyard concept. The three straplines are “No Waves . No Surf”’, “Surfing 1890 – 2013” and “What if the next wave never comes?”. The print creative work was created by Andrew Long and James Millers, and photographed by Spencer Murphy.

Spencer Murphy
The images for the Protect Our Waves Petition campaign were taken by award-winning photographer Spencer Murphy. Spencer lives and works in London, dividing his time between creating his own artwork, taking on photographic commissions and lecturing on photography at University College Falmouth. He has contributed to many magazines, including The Guardian Weekend, The Sunday Telegraph – Seven Magazine, The New Statesman, Monocle and Wired. His portraits have also appeared in such publications as Rolling Stone Magazine, GQ and Dazed and Confused. He has exhibited throughout Europe and North America and was named as one of the Hyeres Festival’s emerging photographers of 2008. He was also included in the National Portrait Gallery Photographic Portrait Prize (now Taylor Wessing) exhibition in 2006, 2008 and 2009. His work has also been acquired for the NPG’s Pemanent Collection.

Andrew Couldwell
Andrew designed and built our great, responsive POW Petition website. Andrew is a freelance digital designer living and working in Cornwall and London. He’s worked with brands including Nike, NASA, Twitter, Facebook and LIVESTRONG.

Go sign and share the petition now at: www.protectourwaves.org.uk