Enhancing the Role of Surfing in Biodiversity Conservation and Community Development in Indonesia

Indonesia is widely recognized as a global priority for marine conservation due to its high marine biodiversity, yet these important coral reef ecosystems and their associated fisheries are experiencing extensive decline and increasing threats at global and local scales. With around 80% of Indonesia’s 270 million population relying on the richness of their surrounding ocean, it is essential to maintain healthy marine ecosystems that support the culture, economy, and food security of the nation. With this in mind, it is imperative to conduct a stakeholder analysis in order to ensure that the objectives of the governmental officials and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are in alignment with the ecological and societal goals of the local Indonesian communities. The Surf Conservation Partnership between two NGOs, Conservation International and Save The Waves Coalition, mobilizes surfing communities to create Surf Protected Areas (SPAs) that conserve important coastal ecosystems and strengthen community development. The aim of this master’s study is to examine the issues that shape surf tourism and conservation efforts in Indonesia in order to improve overall management strategies. Online surveys and semi-structured interviews will be conducted with representatives of each of the identified stakeholder groups: 1) surf tourists; 2) local Indonesian community members; 3) government officials; 4) surf tourism operators; and 5) NGO employees. This research seeks to contribute new knowledge to the emerging field of surf conservation by exploring stakeholder perspectives on surf tourism development and the creation of a SPAN in Indonesia.