Open Asbury Parks beaches to Summer Surfing

Petition to Open Asbury Parks beaches to Summer Surfing

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of our worlds oceans, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research, and education. Founded in 1984, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 35,000 members and 60 chapters across the United States and Puerto Rico, with international affiliates in Australia, Europe, Japan and Brazil. The Jersey Shore Chapter has over 1000 members in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Part of our mission is to ensure conservation of beaches for all citizens including protecting recreational resources for all.

The Public Trust Doctrine embraces the notion that beaches of New Jersey are public lands. The local municipalities do not own these lands, rather they hold them in the publics trust for all to use and enjoy. The Public Trust Doctrine also holds that the municipalitiy can not favor one user group over another. For example, it would be against the public trust doctrine to ban fishing in a given municipality.

The City of Asbury Park does not allow surfing at all during hours when beach badges are required and lifeguards are present, 9AM to 5PM from late June until Labor Day. Every other town on the Jersey Shore allows surfing during these hours. This is a direct violation of the Public Trust Doctrine

Our Asbury Park members cant bring their family and guests to the beach for a day of surfing in the town where they pay taxes and pay for beach badges. Allowing surfing gives many families and visitors a reason to spend time on Asbury Parks beaches. People spending the day on Asbury Parks beaches will in turn spend money in Asbury Park.

According to sports industry research, surfing is the 7th fastest growing sport in the United States, and is the fastest growing sport among young females aged 14-18. In fact an estimated 484,000 women took up the sport of surfing for the first time last year. A recent study in Santa Cruz, California found one surfing break to be worth $8.4 million tourist dollars per year.

As Asbury Park redevelops, there is an increased need for recreational opportunities for residents. Asbury Parks most valuable resource is its 1 mile of ocean and beach. By not allowing surfing, the City is missing a tremendous opportunity to provide a low-cost, healthy, day time activity for Asburys youth. Other towns in Monmouth County are reaping the benefits of summertime surfing clinics that teach local kids surfing and water saftey. In addition to these clinics, the towns allow surf festivals and contests which attract hundreds of residents and visitors to their beaches.

We urge the City of Asbury Park to allow surfing, by ordinance, off Asburys beaches during the hours when beach badges are required.