Surf Break Co-Management: Options for the Protection and Enhancement of Surf Breaks in New Zealand
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Surf Break Co-Management: Options for the protection and enhancement of surf breaks in New Zealand Aaron Mark Edwards A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Planning. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. 1st November 2012 Abstract The inclusion of surf breaks in the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (2010) establishes New Zealand as a potential world leader in surf break protection. The approach is highly dependent upon local authorities being required to give effect to these new policy directives. Providing for these policies requires a multi-faceted approach that includes surf break identification, mapping, monitoring, policy provision, integrated management approaches and evaluation. This presents significant challenges, especially given that most local authorities lack specific surfing expertise. Surf break users have extensive knowledge of local surf breaks and an inherent interest in the preservation of surfing resources, representing a potential aid to local authorities in providing for surf breaks. Surf break policy implementation arguably serves to benefit from the involvement of surf break users in management responses and decision-making processes. This thesis involved a case study of the Auckland and Otago regions to explore surf break user values, the purpose of surf break management and the suitability of surf break co- management within New Zealand’s resource management framework. The study involved an online survey of surf break users and interviews with key stakeholders in the management of surf breaks. A key theme that emerged throughout the research was the desire for surf break management to reflect the needs and vision of local surfing communities. The study identified providing for the general protection of a range of surf breaks and increasing recognition of the value of surf breaks as key outcomes for the management of surf breaks. Results showed that surf break users primarily value factors relating to wave quality and elements of naturalness, with values reflecting local issues. Findings highlighted the importance of scale in addressing surf breaks. Results suggest that management approaches designed to protect surf break values need to consider local issues and local surf break user values. For surf breaks the most appropriate scale of approach is most likely to be at a local-scale in order to produce tangible management outcomes and further engage surfing community involvement. Local-scale co- management programmes underpinned by a supporting policy framework of surf break identification, policy provision and monitoring represents a potentially beneficial option for surf break management in New Zealand. Co-management could enable local authorities to bridge potential funding and knowledge gaps, allow for surf break users to take ownership of surfing resources and serve to strengthen the consideration of surf breaks in formal decision- making processes. i Acknowledgements To all those research participants who gave up their valuable time thank you for offering your wisdom and advice. To all the surfers who took the time to complete the questionnaires, cheers, I owe you a wave. Extra thanks to Derek at (dunedinlight.com), Matt at Surf.co (surf.co.nz), Paul at Auckland Surf (aucklandsurf.co.nz), Geer at Surfbreak Protection Society (surfbreak.org.nz), and Kevin at Isolated New Zealand Bodyboarding (isolated.co.nz) who all helped out in promoting links through their respective websites to my questionnaires. I would have struggled to get the response I did without your help, much appreciated. Thank you to the University of Otago for the financial support I received through the Master’s Scholarship programme. To the Department of Geography and the Planning Programme staff, thank you for all the support and time you have put into getting me ready for the real world. Thanks to my supervisor Wayne Stephenson who always looked forward to receiving my next instalment of light reading. Your critical eye for detail and straight up honesty was always spot-on. I owe you a wave too. Thanks to Miyuki for putting up with all of this… Ima kara owatta da yo! ii Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. ii List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ......................................................................................................................... viii List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... ix 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Research Objective .................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Thesis Structure ....................................................................................................................... 4 2 Literature Review ............................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 Surf Breaks in the Coastal Environment ............................................................................... 6 2.2.1 What is a surf break? ........................................................................................................... 6 2.2.2 Surfing as an activity .......................................................................................................... 9 2.2.3 The Value of Surf Breaks ................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4 Threats to surf breaks ........................................................................................................ 11 2.2.5 Surf Break Research ......................................................................................................... 17 2.3 Coastal Management ............................................................................................................. 21 2.3.1 Integrated Coastal Management ....................................................................................... 21 2.3.2 Beach Management ........................................................................................................... 25 2.3.3 Community-Based and Collaborative (Co-management) Coastal Management .............. 26 2.4 Coastal Management and Surfing ........................................................................................ 35 2.4.1 International Approaches to Surf Break Protection .......................................................... 35 2.4.2 Surf Break Protection in New Zealand ............................................................................. 40 2.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 48 3 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 51 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 51 3.2 Research Design ..................................................................................................................... 51 3.2.1 Research Approach ........................................................................................................... 52 3.2.2 Comparative Case Study Approach .................................................................................. 52 3.2.3 Positionality ...................................................................................................................... 54 3.2.4 Ethical Considerations ...................................................................................................... 54 3.3 Data Collection and Analysis ................................................................................................ 55 3.3.1 Secondary Data Collection ............................................................................................... 55 3.3.2 Primary Data Collection ................................................................................................... 55 3.4 Reflections on the Research Process .................................................................................... 60 3.5 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 61 4 Surfing in the Auckland and Otago Regions ................................................................. 62 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 62 4.2 Auckland Region .................................................................................................................... 62 4.2.1 Surfing in Auckland .......................................................................................................... 62 4.2.2 Council Involvement