Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

Coastal zones provide significant social and economic benefits to society and are home to the majority of the global population. While highly desirable, these areas are also some of the most affected by climate change and population growth. As climate change continues to progress and severe weather events become increasingly unpredictable, it is crucial to expand the collection of real time data that can improve forecasting, contribute to scientific research and provide information to assist with mitigation and planning efforts in coastal regions. Smartfin, a surfboard fin with a sensor that records sea surface temperature (SST) and GPS data, is a cost effective tool that enables surfers to contribute important oceanographic information to fill the data gaps and support scientific research while doing the activity they love. The purpose of this Capstone project is to find out what groups within the surf community would surf for science, what would motivate them to take part in citizen science and how much would they be willing to pay to participate. To answer these questions, a survey was designed exploring the habits, preferences, environmental views and use of technology among surfers. Using Qualtrics software, the survey was distributed to the surf community through social media. The results confirm the hypothesis that there are groups within surf community motivated to participate in citizen science and pay for a Smartfin.