PORT ANGELES — The most popular coastal area from Port Angeles west on the North Olympic Peninsula is LaPush, and the most popular activity is beach walking, according to a Surfrider Foundation survey.
A recreational use survey of more than 400 Washington state beachgoers revealed the most heavily used ocean and beach access locations from Port Angeles to the Columbia River, and the most popular activities, two Surfrider Foundation members told about 60 members of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce on Monday.
The presentation by Gus Gates, state policy manager for Surfrider, and Brice Boland, state field coordinator for the group, told of results of the first of two surveys by Surfrider as part of an effort to develop a coastal use plan under development by the Washington State Coastal Marine Advisory Council.
Of the two Surfrider surveys, preliminary results are available from an October online survey of a group of 404 “power users” — people who actively use the beaches.
Results from a larger group of 6,000, who were selected to represent overall state demographics, will be available in late winter or in spring, Boland said.
According to the survey of “power users” — those who responded to advertisements for the survey in coast-oriented shops, websites and locations — the top Olympic Peninsula location for visits to the beach is LaPush, followed by Port Angeles area beaches, Sequim area beaches, and access points along the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Port Angeles and Cape Flattery.
By far the most popular activity is simply “beach walking,” with 299 of the 404 respondents identifying beach walks as one of the purposes for their visits to the coast, they said.
“There is value in these visitors,” Boland said.
While they may not spend a lot of money at a surf shop or kayak guide service, they visit local restaurants, stay in hotels and buy gas, he said.
The survey showed other top uses of coastal areas included surfing, clam digging, hiking, kayaking and boating.
The survey did not include fishing, which is being studied by another group.
The Surfrider surveys are among several studies that the Washington State Coastal Marine Advisory Council will use to develop the Marine Spatial Plan for the Washington coastline — essentially, “zoning in the ocean,” Gates said.
The plan “is for anyone who has any use for the ocean. We need to have a plan,” Boland said.
“Some people want to keep Californians out of Washington. We want to keep California problems out of Washington,” he said.
Surfrider, an organization founded by surfers to promote clean beaches and water and to protect beach access, is one of many members of the council.
The council includes members representing stakeholders in ocean access, including fishermen, shellfish producers, state parks, tribes, local government agencies, and others who need access to the water to continue their activities, Gates said.
Each group is conducting its own surveys and studies to establish its needs, what areas are used, how heavily used those areas are, and the economic and environmental impact of that use.
The focus of the project is to protect sustainable, pre-existing uses of the coastline and reduce user conflicts, Gates said.
Once existing uses are understood and agreements established, planned uses such as a proposed scuba park in Port Angeles Harbor or wind and water power generation can be studied to see how it fits, he said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
