Following a very busy earth month, California Surfrider Chapters continued to make a big impact in May through actions that ranged from picking up the tiniest plastic pellets, restoring native habitats, educating community members, to legislative action; all of which helped to protect our ocean, waves, and beaches while creating community and enjoying themselves along the way!
On Thursday, May 14, the Assembly and Senate Appropriations Committees each held their suspense file hearings – one of the most consequential moments in the legislative calendar. Bills that have been flagged for "significant fiscal impact" are parked there early in the nine-month session, then voted on all at once – without public testimony – to either advance them to the next stage of the process or let them die in committee. Several of the bills Surfrider has engaged on were on the list. Find a full recap here.
Read on for highlights from our chapters’ activities across the state:
Up in Humboldt County, the Eureka City Council adopted a resolution opposing new and existing offshore oil and gas drilling, and deep seabed mining.
The Sonoma Coast Chapter headed out on Memorial Day to clean up our beaches after the long weekend festivities.
The Marin Chapter hosted their monthly social at Hookfish Co at Prooflab Beer Garden and CNL Native Plant Nursery, two of the newest Ocean Friendly Businesses in the county.
The San Francisco Chapter hosted their monthly chapter meeting focused on opposition to offshore oil drilling with guest speaker and Northern California Regional Manager, Sara Heintzelman. Earlier in the day, they were busy at Ocean Beach installing brush to protect the newly planted native dune grass from wind erosion. The beach cleanup team hosted their monthly cleanup with 114 volunteers in attendance and the Blue Water Task Force led multiple training sessions.
The San Mateo Chapter tabled at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival and fielded lots of media inquiries after Linda Mar Beach made the top 10 list of Beach Bacteria Hotspots in Surfrider’s Clean Water Report.
The Santa Cruz Chapter highlighted the enjoy in Surfrider's mission to protect and enjoy by holding their chapter meeting at the beach!
On a beautiful Sunday morning, surfers, scientists, ocean lovers, students, and concerned community members from across Southern California joined at Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara for the Paddle Out To Protect Our Coast. The event called for no new offshore oil drilling in our precious waters.
The Ventura Chapter published their 2025/26 Blue Water Task Force Report, check out their findings and check the water quality at your local beach before you head out into the water.
In May, the Surfrider LA Chapter took action to protect our coast on two fronts. On May 12, representatives from the Surfrider Foundation and LA Chapter spoke at the Santa Monica City Council meeting, opposing AB 1740, a bill that threatens to gut California Coastal Act protections under the guise of climate progress and making the case for Santa Monica to complete a strong Local Coastal Program (LCP) instead. With a completed LCP, Santa Monica could take local control over 90% of coastal zone developments while maintaining the environmental safeguards and equitable public access the Coastal Act has guaranteed for 50 years. The chapter also brought the community together on May 27 at Mollusk Surf Shop in Venice for an Open House chapter meeting, where a panel of experts, including Mitch Silverstein and Mario Sandoval, led a conversation celebrating 50 years of the California Coastal Act, discussing coastal victories, ongoing threats, and how locals can take action. Read the full recap of the Santa Monica City Council activation here.
The Long Beach Chapter hosted its 3rd annual San Gabriel River cleanup in partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific. Over 90 volunteers removed 2,600 lbs of trash from the river, which is home to a population of Pacific green sea turtles.
An Executive Committee member of the North OC Chapter represented Surfrider at a press conference where Representative Min announced two pieces of legislation aiming to hold offshore oil polluters accountable and protect California’s coastline!
The South OC Chapter hosted the final Trestles beach and habitat cleanup event for the spring season, removing 350 lbs of invasive plants and 33 lbs of trash. The program is paused during the summer, and the work to create a more resilient coastline will resume come fall!
Down in San Diego Community members combed Carlsbad, CA rail tracks to document plastic pellet pollution. The Carlsbad event is one of hundreds that took place in May across the country and world, organized by a coalition of environmental and community groups. Thousands of community scientists will collect and document plastic pellets at beaches, riverbanks, and other bodies of water. Another highlight coming out of San Diego is the 2025 Annual Marine Debris Report! To no surprise, plastic trash continues to impact San Diego beaches.
Feeling inspired? Find your nearest Surfrider chapter to get involved and protect what you love 🌊❤️