Panel – Reframing the Blue Economy with Inka Cresswell & George Clark
Hugo leads the ocean campaigning charity Surfers Against Sewage, taking action from the beach front to the front benches of Parliament. SAS connects & empowers over 100,000 ocean activists annually, driving government legislation to protect our seas.
“My journey into ocean activism started on the rocky shorelines of Cornwall where, as a young boy, I would endlessly search for and document any natural wonders I’d find. This mirrored my experiences in the UK’s biggest Ocean City – London – where my dad would take me mudlarking on the tidal banks of the Thames, searching for the flotsam and jetsam left behind by mariners and those working on the fringes of land and sea. My love for surfing started slightly later and has grown ever since, taking me to places I’d never imagined. It really took hold in the powerful beach breaks of South West France in the early 1990s. Leading Surfers Against Sewage is a perfect convergence of my love for the wild world and my love for sport. My ocean activism has grown no end during my decade at the helm – I learn new things every day from some of the best scientists, campaigners, water people and ocean lovers in the world. What a ride.“
Be bold. Educate yourself. Connect with experts.
– Hugo’s advice for someone at the start of their Ocean Activism journey