Putting a financial value on waves is proving to be an effective way to protect natural resources from construction and development. Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions created the podcast, Surfonomics (13 minutes long)about this very subject. Linwood Pendleton is the Chief Economist at NOAA and Director of Ocean and Coastal Policy at the Nicholas Institute. He discusses successes in Rincon with the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve and the the economic value that unique breaks like Ragland and Trestles have in their communities. Researchers are able to quantify what surfers spend traveling to and staying in an area with world class surf. Something as simple as sand flow can alter a break forever. A notable example of this is Bruce’s Beauties in Cape Saint Francis, South Africa. The famed break lost its iconic perfect form and the beaches have experienced extensive erosion, attributed to developments blocking the natural sand flow. California lost one of its famous breaks in 1966 when Dana Point Harbor was constructed. The Washington Post also ran an article about Surfonomics.
