“Surf has been subject of much criticism and we think that with this partnership APECATE can contribute to improve regulation on Portuguese beaches,” Afonso Teixeira, spokesperson for AESDP, told Lusa News Agency.

Teixeira added that operators related to teaching surf had to be registered as a touristic entertainment with APECATE, highlighting the “ability and experience” of this association in managing issues related to regulation of activities on beaches.

He said the partnership arose to avoid further conflicts between surfers and bathers, when neither's space was clearly delimited, especially in the summer.

According to the AESDP spokesperson, there are around 300 surf schools registered at the Portuguese Surf Federation.