A years-long push to restore fishing access at Surf Beach near Lompoc could come before the California Fish and Game Commission next month, as local advocates revive a campaign that dates back roughly 25 years.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says its evaluation and recommendation regarding fishing at Surf Beach have not changed. In a written response to KSBY, CDFW also said Petition 2022-04 is expected to be considered during the Fish and Game Commission’s Oct. 13-16 meeting, although the agenda has not yet been finalized.
For longtime Lompoc resident Greg Gideon, the issue goes back decades.
Gideon said he and a friend started the “Free Surf Beach” campaign around 25 years ago after access to the beach became restricted. Old stickers and signs carrying that message are now appearing around Lompoc again.
“I’ve lived in Lompoc my whole life and when the beach was first blockaded way back 25 years ago, myself and a friend of mine were highly offended, and so we came up with Free Surf Beach,” Gideon said.
He remembers Surf Beach differently from how younger generations experience it today.
“When I was a teenager, 70s, 80s and in the 90s, older, [we] would go to the beach all the time. Skimboard, surf, take your dog up and down the beach. Never a problem,” Gideon said.
Gideon said renewed attention surrounding Surf Beach has brought the movement back.
“This has been 25 years now. Right? So now with the latest things going on with Surf Beach, it’s like a revival of Free Surf Beach,” he said.
The proposal currently being pursued by Lompoc Mayor Jim Mosby is narrower than what Gideon is advocating for.
Mosby said the city is seeking to open approximately a half-mile of beach for shore fishing.
“We’re looking for a half mile to be opened up. and it’s, it’s a small fraction of what they’ve taken from the people,” Mosby said.
Mosby said the petition has been in the works for years and recently reached another stage when a Fish and Game commissioner visited Surf Beach.
“So, at this last meeting, which has been about a six- or seven-year wait to get there, been a long time with this petition we had filed to allow the people of Lompoc to go fish,” Mosby said.
Mosby has also argued that Lompoc bears a disproportionate share of restrictions associated with protected areas along the coast.
“One of the arguments that I had is that Lompoc, being an environmental justice community, is being disproportionately carrying the burden of these preserves,” Mosby said.
Mosby provided KSBY with a May SeaSketch evaluation examining proposed north and south Vandenberg marine reserve boundaries.
The document lists the proposed Vandenberg North area at approximately 10.71 square miles and Vandenberg South at approximately 20.35 square miles.
However, the SeaSketch report cautions that its analyses are intended for “informational and exploratory purposes only” and says final measurements should be calculated using desktop GIS software.
Mosby believes the document supports his argument that limited fishing access could be restored without undermining the broader protected area.
“So the new document I received the other day, a SeaSketch document, pretty much shows that what we’re looking for won't really affect what they’re trying to do out there,” Mosby said.
CDFW told KSBY that its evaluation and recommendation have not changed since earlier this year.
The department also said the Fish and Game Commission has not requested additional analysis specifically on Petition 2022-04 or the related 2023-18MPA petition.
However, CDFW said the commission did request additional analysis related to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and equitable access. The commission has also continued receiving public comments and testimony, and the California Ocean Protection Council has released policy recommendations related to marine protected area petitions.
CDFW also addressed Mosby’s recent site visit with a Fish and Game commissioner.
The department said the visit did not play a role in CDFW’s review or recommendation because its evaluations and recommendations were released in March 2026, and the commission has not asked the department to conduct another review or issue an updated recommendation.
If Petition 2022-04 comes before commissioners in October, CDFW said several outcomes are possible.
According to an informal table provided by the department, commissioners could grant the petition as submitted, grant it in concept with modifications, pursue a different regulatory pathway, support the idea through a non-regulatory pathway or deny the petition. CDFW emphasized that the table is not an official commission framework.
For Gideon, however, restoring fishing access would only be a first step. He wants broader recreational access between Surf Station and Ocean Park.
“Free Surf Beach from Surf Station to Ocean Park. Wide open. No restrictions. Let your dog run, just like it was when I was a kid,” Gideon said.
