Guarda do Embaú will become the ninth World Surfing Reserve (WSR).
The announcement was made by Save The Waves, the non-governmental organization who launched World Surfing Reserves in 2009.
The Brazilian surfing paradise is located in the state of Santa Catarina, only 30 miles south of Florianopolis. The surf spot delivers world-class waves all year round, and it is Ricardo dos Santos' home break.
"It was clear that this was a community with a deep commitment to their surfing legacy, a strong connection to their environment, and the capacity to utilize the WSR designation for the long term protection of their coastal resources," explains Nik Strong-Cvetich, director of Save The Waves.
Guarda do Embaú is adjacent to the Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, the largest conservation area in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. The new World Surfing Reserve will have its water quality protected, and coastal developments will be drastically reduced.
"The World Surfing Reserve approval represents the possibility to trace the history, the culture, and the environmental characteristics of Guarda do Embaú. We seek to create a management plan to preserve and protect our coastline in response to the environmental issues that might threaten our waves and local tradition," adds Marcos Aurélio Gungel, director at the Association of Surfing and Preservation of Guarda do Embaú.
Guarda do Embaú joins an elite group of eight World Surfing Reserves: Malibu (California), Ericeira (Portugal), Manly Beach (Australia), Santa Cruz (California), Huanchaco (Peru), Todos os Santos (Mexico), Punta de Lobos (Chile), and Gold Coast (Australia).