From 2 to 6 August Surfrider has participated to the "Los Juegos Nauticos Atlanicos" in Santander. This is a European event, held since 1995 in a cooperation project between the Atlantic regions.

Surfrider was placed in the "paseo maritimo" and this gave us the chance to interact with hundreds of people! Here we had the chance to have a different perspective of the people’s commitment for the environment and to discuss about the several themes of the association. Furthermore the participants gave us useful information (for instance the presence of the well known media filters on the most popular beaches of Cantabria) and enjoyed participating in our discussions and activities. In fact especially with the youngsters the Surfrider animations marked a great success. The children showed great enthusiasm for the environment, demonstrating a good knowledge of the eco-citizen actions.

Moreover, Surfrider Spanish volunteers and members of the Cantabrian Federation of Surfing welcomed us with the famous Spanish friendliness and organized a parade-auction sale where a beautiful handmade decorated surfboard and a guitar signed by groups Vetusta Morla, El Canto del Loco and La Sonrisa de Julia have been sold and more than 300 € have been collected and donated to the association. Big up! Thank you! Local pro surfer Pablo Gutierrez as well visited Surfrider’s stand and celebrated his fresh gold medal talking with us about environment!

Then from Spain, Surfrider Foundation Europe joined the Italian volunteer Eleonora Frascella, a representative of the Lazio local chapter, in Viareggio to participate to the first edition of Boardland, a festival of surfing and skateboarding. Several brands and industries participated to the weekend and in a festive and friendly atmosphere lot of activities were organized in order to promote in Italy these two activities!

On Saturday Surfrider organized an info point on the "lungomare" of Viareggio where numerous people stopped by to discuss and get information. Once again it was constructive to test the environmental commitment of the participants and discuss about the environment, especially at a local level!

Then, the Sunday was especially designed for children. Indeed, Surfrider sensitized the youngsters who have participated at the free surf courses organized on the beach packed with people! Dozens of children joined the Tommy’s Room (an educational animation for kids) and showed knowledge of the eco-citizen actions sometimes deeper than their parents! At the same time, a small presentation about Surfrider was arranged for the older people, to explain to the surf neophytes the importance of respecting the sea and adopt an eco-citizen behaviour.

In conclusion the result of the Spanish and the Italian events are positive: plenty of contacts with the public, promotion of the Surfrider identity at European level and especially the strengthening of the will to work and be coordinated at European level to preserve oceans, seas, lakes and rivers clean!

The oil pollution was quickly localized thanks to a customs aircraft.  Fortunately, the vessel “AbeilleFlandres” was only a few minutes away from the pollution area and was able to treat this area immediately.  The Mediterranean maritime authority also deployed on the spot a specialist support, assistance and cleanup operation (named JASON), as well as arranging for the customs aircraft to try to determine the extent of the oil slick.

For the moment, we still ignore the origin of pollutions like these: was it an accident? Or was it a boat preferring to empty its oil tanks into the sea for free, rather than at a port as they are required?  We will probably never know…

The media always focus on accidents and oil spills that have catastrophic consequences on the marine environment, and forget to emphasise orphan pollutions that nevertheless pollute our oceans everyday.  In 2009 in the Mediterranean for example, the maritime authorities named more than 190 orphan pollutions including 100 hydrocarbon spills. Every year, 150.000 tons of oil pollution are thrown back in the Mediterranean Sea, representing ten “Erikas” and two “Prestiges”.

Surfrider Foundation Europe tries to fight against these “hooligans of the sea” by bringing civil actions for all oil releases detected in French Maritime areas.  We also demand an improvement of the methods with which we can detect marine pollution and the parties responsible.  This problem was at the heart of a workshop that we organized during the European Maritime Days. We also emphasize these commitments through our work with “le Grenelle de la Mer” (a dialogue between maritime bodies organised by the French Government).

These commitments have been adopted and we now hope that new technologies like the use of satellites and night observation will be implemented, so that the number of orphan pollutions is reduced and no pollution is left unpunished.    

Starting 4:00 p.m. Thursday, August 5, Ponton Benauge (right side, behind the coffee port, 1 Rue Quai Descamps Bordeaux)

Reserved for experienced surfers (crossing over 500 meters) bring your boards and wetsuits.

Are you tired of surfing in the cigarette butts, plastic bags, cans? Do you want to surf in a safe and clean water?

On Thursday, August 5 join the surfers of the Surfrider Gironde Local Chapter in a beautiful crossing against macro-waste.

FOLLOWED THROUGH AN HO'OKUPU, AND AN EVENING "SURF" on the Quai des Sports (more info: 06 84 53 12 72)

Pockets of oil pollution cover the magnificent beaches of Galeria, the small town south of Calvi in upper Corsica, since 12 July.  This pollution endangers numerous protected species in the natural reserve of Scandola, including exceptional biodiversity that are World Heritage listed with Unesco.

The disaster affecting tourist area, Balagne, came from a ship emptying its oil tanks at high seas and therefore is otherwise ignored.

Surfrider Foundation Europe denounces the increasing number of  'orphan' pollutions in the Mediterranean, such as that affecting Galeria today.  In 2008, the Mediterranean maritime authorities named 250 orphan pollutions including 180 hydrocarbon spills.  Last year, there were 190 incidents including 100 hydrocarbon spills counted, all of this without worrying the responsible authorities.

Surfrider Foundation demands an improvement of the methods with which we can detect marine pollution.  This problem was at the heart of our concerns at the European Maritime Day last May, as was already the case through our work with the 'Grenelle de la mer'.

We continue to denounce with vigour the irresponsible attitude of polluting ships and demand as quickly as possible the implementation of effective detection devices.

The small town of Galeria faces today, for the second time in 2 years, a pollution without a name but not without someone responsible.

However the design that Clare Co. Council has decided on is likely to damage both waves of Crab Island and Doolin point from backwash. It will also introduce a safety hazard by forcing surfers to paddle across the ferry's paths to get to the lineups. Obviously the effect on the surf spots has been ignored.

Local surfers are trying to convince the council to move the pier back towards the existing one by about 50m and to dredge a little deeper inside the pier. You can act! Sign the petition before August 5th<//a> and send it to friends through facebook\myspace\blog or mail

On June 27th Surfrider Foundation Europe, in partnership with Spontex, organized an ecological operation to raise awareness in Paris!

Over 300 people attended the event just in front of the Notre Dame and enjoyed Surfrider's expositions and animations about several actions of the Association.

The workshops provided the opportunity to the general public to learn, participate and discuss several ecological issues such as water quality and marine litter, but also about daily activities such as making washing dishes “greener” and cheaper!

Surfrider also organized several animations for the younger participants allowing them to interact and participate showing lots of enthusiasm! In fact all of the workshops have been created with the idea of “enjoy learning” and allowing the public to participate actively!

Parisians but also many foreigners participated with interest in the various workshops. For instance the statistics concerning washing dishes shocked the participants. In fact, almost nobody knew that the amount of water used for incorrect dish washing is 200 liters! Therefore participants realised the financial implications of this as well, and that as well as causing environmental damage it represents a waste of money too!

Find all the events on the SFE agenda.

This Society, who possess a considerable development and an 18-hole golfcourse in the area, obtained a decision from the authorities in 2009 changing the coastal path in order to oblige walkers to contour their development, far from the glorious views at Bonifacio over-looking the islands of Lavezzi and Cavallo.

The rejection of the appeal made by the associations was made on the basis of the dangerousness of maintaining a coastal path close to the cliffs and its proximity to a golfcourse, according to the tribunal.   A decision we simply can not accept as resolved.  Corsican associations U Levante and ABCDE have therefore appealed the decision with the support of Surfrider.  The case will be presented before the administrative court of appeal at Marseille, who will once again have to make a decision on the legitimacy of the prefectural order of 10 March 2009 that we continue ardently to denounce.

The Spérone Cape is the extreme southern point of Corsica, not far from Sardinia and the islands of Lavezzi and Cavallo.

The construction of this terminal in the western port of the town was the subject of a favourable decision made by the authorities last April 9th, tying the hands of the numerous opponents to the project.  This recent development could offer us a new hope.  Since the announcement of the construction of this terminal, Surfrider and the Adelfa association fight with vigour against this proposed environmental abberation.  Constant demographic pressures on the coastlines, the destruction of green areas, the disappearance of the beach at Clipon, threats to bathing sites and the rejection of waste linked with the exploitation of liquid methane gas on the coastal site... our worries are numerous but our watch is constant.

Several months ago, another methane project at Antifer in upper Normany was supsended for 6 months due to a lack of investment.

Interview de Baptiste Monsaingeon, membre d'équipage de Watch the Waste et chercheur en anthropologie à l'Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie (Ademe).

One of the most sensitive environmental issues in Corsica has recently been put back on the table.  The relaunch of the previously suspended Development Plan (the 'Padduc') was announced by Nicolas Sarkozy during one of his trips to the ‘isle of beauty’.

Today the development plan was provided to seven academics commissioned by the government, and associations have one month to evaluate their demands in relation to this significant project.

Amongst the fears of local concerned associations is the question of the effects that the development plan will have on the environment, such as the destruction of remarkable natural areas and farmland, as well as lasting change to the coastal landscape of the island due to consequential building developments: «  this plan will engage Corsica for a large number of years, once voted, it will have the force of law » as U Levante reminds us, one of the local associations strongly against the project.

A meeting has been planned for the 29 July in order to confirm the outline of the Padduc.

The associations consulted, including Surfrider, have very little time to put together their arguments and to try and compel decision-makers to change the elements that have the most impact on the environment.