From February 16–19, 2026, Peru took part in the World Surfing Conservation Conference (WSCC) in Gold Coast, Australia, the world’s leading assembly devoted to surf break protection and the conservation of surfing ecosystems.
Backed by the Embassy of Australia in Peru and supported by LATAM Airlines, the Peruvian delegation presented the country as a regional leader in surf conservation, featuring a model that integrates legislation, coastal management, culture, and sport.
A Legal and Scientific Framework for Wave Protection
Peru’s participation featured its pioneering legal framework for protecting surf breaks—an approach that demonstrates how public policy, environmental science, and local involvement can converge to safeguard coastal ecosystems.
Together with Costa Rica and Panamá, Peru is advancing surf ecosystem management through a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and executed in partnership with Conservation International, Save The Waves Coalition, and the Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA), alongside coastal authorities and local communities.
At WSCC 2026, SPDA representative Carolina Butrich led the technical discussions on Peru’s experience, positioning the country and Latin America more broadly as a reference point for regulatory progress in neighboring nations such as Chile and Ecuador.
Cultural Heritage: The Caballito de Totora
The caballito de totora, an ancestral reed watercraft still used by fishermen in Huanchaco, was presented as a living symbol of the relationship between heritage, ocean stewardship, and sustainability.
Carlos “Huevito” Ucañan, an ancestral fisherman and ambassador of the Huanchaco World Surfing Reserve, together with Carlos Antonio Ferrer of Save The Waves Coalition, shared how traditional knowledge and contemporary conservation actions can coexist. The narrative reinforced that surf conservation in Peru is a cultural tradition.
Sport as Global Projection
Peru also participated in the parallel World Club Championship, reinforcing its longstanding sporting tradition. The delegation included Roberto “Muelas” Mesa, Magoo de la Rosa, and national team surfers Bastián Arévalo, Alejandro Bernales, Brianna Barthelmess, and Catalina Zariquiey—all athletes with international competitive experience.
Their presence emphasized another key dimension of Peru’s approach: sport as a platform to project identity, strengthen coastal communities, and advance sustainable tourism, particularly along the country’s northern coastline, which continues to gain global recognition as a high-quality surf destination.
A Comprehensive Vision
At WSCC 2026, Peru presented a coherent, multi-layered vision: legislation informed by science, cultural heritage embodied by the caballito de totora, and competitive surfing as an international bridge.
In doing so, the country positioned surfing not simply as a sport, but as an effective means for conservation and sustainable development—protecting waves while building a coastal future in which ocean, culture, and community prosper together.
