The Municipality of Rincón, in conjunction with Surfrider Foundation cordially invites you to the 40th aninversary celebration of the World Surfing Championship. This event will be held the 21st of November 2008 starting at 6:00 pm at Rincon's Lighthouse.

As part of the celebration, the world premiere video documentary "Salva Tres Palmas" (Saving Tres Palmas) will be shown by the director María José Calderón. "Salva Tres Palmas" narrates the history of the environmental victory which birthed Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, the first marine reserve on the mainland of Puerto Rico.

This event also includes music by the group"Mijo de la Palma," whose music scored the documentary.

Click here for more...

New Regulations Close Loopholes and Establishes Seasonal Fifth Zone For Personal Watercraft Use


After nearly a decade of work, the Surfrider Foundation is celebrating a twofold success that balances resource protection with recreational access in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS).

Through a joint management plan review process in which many stakeholders participated, the Surfrider Foundation and its chapters worked with the Sanctuary officials and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to close a loophole in the laws governing usage of motorized personal watercraft (MPWC) in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The original restrictions were established in 1992 and designed to provide enhanced resource protection for marine mammal and seabird concentrations, kelp forests, river mouths, estuaries, lagoons and all near shore areas that numerous studies have shows to be highly vulnerable to disturbance and injury from personal watercraft. However changes in watercraft technology and design resulted in a definition loophole that allowed newer three- and four-seat personal watercraft models to operate outside of the four established zones within the Sanctuary. By changing the definition and closing the loophole, MPWC will be relegated back to the four established zones, restoring the original intent of the law.

Additionally, NOAA has established a seasonal fifth MPWC zone at Mavericks. NOAA chose Mavericks as the seasonal fifth zone due to the break’s close proximity to an existing offshore MPWC zone. NOAA expects to minimize MPWC impacts to the local environment by restricting their use in this new zone, which borders the existing Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The seasonal fifth zone would be open for tow-in surfing and MPWC usages from December through February during National Weather Service-issued high surf warnings.

The inclusion of an additional seasonal fifth MPWC zone at Mavericks for tow-in surfing balances recreational access with maximum protection for Sanctuary resources. The Surfrider Foundation and its local San Mateo County Chapter recognize the value of these objectives and view the seasonal zone as a solution that holds protection of a National Marine Sanctuary in highest regard while allowing recreational use of MPWC.

“From the start, our goal has been maximal protection for the National Marine Sanctuary,” says Edmundo Larenas, Chair of the Surfrider Foundation San Mateo County Chapter. “We are pleased that NOAA’s inclusive approach with all the stakeholders in working to define the governing regulations produced a result that will restore protection to the National Marine Sanctuary.”

While the new regulations seek to protect Sanctuary resources and recreational access, the Sanctuary and stakeholders will have to work together to address issues such as safety, enforcement and environmental protection.

“The addition of a fifth zone will not be without its challenges,” Larenas cautioned. “With the seasonal fifth zone in place, it is important for all stakeholders to continue working together to safeguard the environment around the established fifth zone.”

The new regulations are expected to go in effect February 2009.

Just in case you were wondering, a plastic, supermarket-sized grocery bag holds about eight pounds of bottle caps. These were all picked up off the beaches of New Jersey, and they are all going to be recycled.

Estee Lauder, parent company of Aveda, is collecting the caps, melting them down, and turning them into new caps for their products. This is significant because caps are generally not recycled like the bottles they occupy. The reason? Caps are typically a different number plastic than the bottle – usually #5 or #2 for caps; #1 for bottles.

You can help, more here Kick the cap out of plastic!

Special thanks to Robert Fitzgerald at Estee Lauder, Clean Ocean Action in NJ and Surfrider Foundation activists Joe Mairo, Dave Storch, and Bill Rosenblatt.

The Surfrider Foundation is pleased to announce three new additions to the Board of Directors: Sean Ahlum, Meg Caldwell and Tony Radaich. Each member brings to the team extensive expertise from various professional backgrounds and passion to protect the world’s oceans, waves and beaches.

Sean Ahlum joins current board members Steve Shipsey and Michelle Duval on representing Surfrider Foundation chapters and their issues at the Board table. Actively involved on a chapter level for over ten years, Ahlum has built up the Cape Fear Chapter from one with no funds, low volunteers and low community support into an organization with significant influence and a solid executive board. Ahlum, along with Cape Fear Chapter volunteers have successfully pushed local communities to improve sewage systems, increase and protect beach access and educate hundreds of students and citizens to be environmentally responsible members of the community.

Meg Caldwell brings an extensive background of environmental legal, administrative/board and NGO organizational experience to the Board of Directors. Highly-respected in environmental law, Caldwell spent the last three years serving on the California Coastal Commission and on the board for the California Coastal Conservancy. In addition, the State Secretary of Resources appointed her to the California Marine Life Protection Act Blue Ribbon Task Force for the central and north central coasts. Caldwell currently serves on the Third Phase Blue Ribbon Task Force for the south coast and continues to work in the environmental policy field emphasizing the environmental effects of local land use decisions, the use of science in environmental and marine resource policy development and implementation, and developing private and public incentives for natural resource conservation.

Tony Radaich joins the Surfrider Foundation Board of Directors with nearly 40-years experience in business and finance. Recently retired, Radaich served as an audit assurance partner at Arthur Anderson from 1969-2002 and then Ernst & Young until 2007. Radaich held an advisory position with the Surfrider Foundation over the last year, as he worked to generate an endowment program and serve as an ad hoc member on the Audit Committee where he aided in strengthening the organization’s record keeping and audit information. His expertise in business and finance will be critical in helping the Surfrider Foundation endure challenges in today’s unstable economy.

Sean Ahlum, Meg Caldwell and Tony Radaich fill currently vacant seats so will begin serving on the Board of Directors immediately.