Are we an endangered species?

I'm a Sup fanatic on the end of many years surfing. I have an observation I want to bounce off Seabreezes.
Are Sups, especially in the surf - on a fast decline in numbers?
I think so following a recent trip up the coast and into Qld - seems like Sup numbers are well down on what they were 2 years ago at many popular Sup locations - prime examples, Arrawarra and Currumbin Alley?
Interested to know....and from an industry perspective....
Doesn't bother me if numbers are dwindling - just curious

I've seen numbers over here go big at some reef breaks, beaches pretty standard numbers, once it gets a bit of size not too many out

It is winter though, they are out in for in summer along the qld hotspots.

Surf SUP'rs are moving over to the foil in pretty consistant numbers.

I'm definitely not selling out on the benefits of sup surfing and also not at all concerned about less suppers in the line-up....but I'm sure the numbers are dropping off ---- Have seen lots of suppers cross to foils which is great....there might be pockets where it's super strong -- winter/summer....shouldn't really be a factor, especially nth of Sydney.....

SUPs at my local beaches have increased at some & decreased at others.
Foilers are increasing but only slightly.
Proners are still increasing due to new local townships increasing in population.
As for me, I'm still keeping my SUPs, foilboards, wingsurfer, mals & shortboards. I love them all. I'm a jack of all trades and master of none. Haaaa!
I've been on the foil the most over the last two years & surprisingly it was starting to become boring. But I can say I'm confident at it in small to overhead surf.

Then just recently had a few awesome surfs on my SUP.
Still love the skateboard feel of a proneboard after changing from a SUP but at my age of declining flexibility especially in my spine it's so much harder & slower to pop up to standing. So I need quite a few sessions to improve on that. And as most of you know I got bitten on the foot by a shark I'll be back to square one. But will soon have another go after healing up. But probably won't be dangling my legs waiting for a bite in dirty, sudsy waters again.

As for surfing ettiquette. It's not the type of surfcraft. It's the attitudes of the people. That's why we have road & boating rules to reduce the accidents & yes, RAGE! And you're scared of sharks?

The problem is, is that most humans just think about themselves and only on what they want to do. Which leaves out courtesy for others.
I've sat with proners whinging about SUPs. I've chatted with SUPers whinging about proners & listened to all three, proners, SUPers & goatboaters.... um sorry surf skiiers whinging about each other. And I too have joined them. But it wasn't to me about the surfcraft but the arrogance, disrespect or plain simple mindedness of the surfer who just doesn't know what the problem is, even after having multitudes of run ins & arguements with others because they think what they are doing is right.

The most annoying things in my view is an experienced surfer who has to catch every wave like a seagull competing for a potato chip, even when they are paddling back out to only turn quickly on the inside of the wave you are catching to force you to bail out & give way to their 1 thousands wave!

The other most annoying is lazy paddlers who paddle back out to the break right in front of your surfing path! And just expect you to be able to surf around them! Goatboaters.... sorry again, I mean wave skiiers & SUPers just definitely don't need to do this and can easily paddle back out wide of anyones surfing path. For proners it's a bit more understandable due to their paddle speed & shoulder fatigue. But, they too should really paddle out through the break due to their duck diving abilities or again paddle around wide to avoid any collisions and when it happens they'll blame the wave rider especially the one with a bigger board!

I've experienced so many waves missed because of not wanting to run into someone that stares at you like a cow in a paddock. It's made me just give up & find another break leaving them to each other.

And looking for another break has sometimes come to my advantage when I find that I can get a much better wave count or an even better wave. The last time I made a move I accidently found a nice foiling spot that cannot be surfed as the wave breaks for a second but keeps rolling on or nearly breaks over a very short shallow reef that gave me good 100 metre rides all to myself. But this still all depends on swell height & tide levels.

I would hate to see surfing courses & testing for a surfing licence but can see it coming.

So now for me it's all in my planning that will suit me for the surfing conditions.
When surf is huge or small it's foiling in an entrance or foiling on rolling swell.
When surf is around head high its SUPing. Usually the opposite break to the proners or the ones they miss.
When surf is average it's SUPing or proning or both.
And hopefully when it's windy I'll be wingdinging! If I can get up on my new big foilwing.
So plenty of choices for me to have fun & avoid the monkeys of our surf. Haaa!

I've found suping is great for social distancing

Bowerboy I think it is your accent more than the SUP as manly locals are being deprived waves from foreign surfers who are way better than them and thus head further out to more isolated breaks like the bower and harder spots. manly is nothing like narabeen of the 90's which was heavy. I still see suppers at freshy and at collaroy. Never let dickheads in the water intimidate you. Don't fight or argue. Just leave.
Its not worth it. Plenty waves gong unridden up here on the mid north coast and I would say sup is on the increase.
pump.

(Iam). Agree with what you said. Yes I commented on the negatives that we may view in hope that those who read it will understand that we all would like a better wave count if just some easy & respectful adjustments are made by those that are either selfish or haven't realised that they do get in the way of others. Gee, if we were on the roads we would be seeing a lot more driving on the wrong side of the road!

I have mates, both prone & SUPers that are family & friends who praise each other on a good wave. So there is my positives.

As for my local favourite break where I mainly SUP, those that know or recognise me are always friendly & know that I don't get in their way.

As a SUPer I know that it's me that can cause the most damage to a proner so it's up to me to ensure it doesn't happen and would be less a chance if no one is in my way.

But we're not all perfect and I think all of us have had some sort of run in with others that couldn't be helped. I've done it twice on seperate occasions to the same person that's told me off for dropping in on his wave when I thought I would make it out of his way. And I still feel bad about it. So now I ensure that it won't ever happen again and hope that our friendship will improve. I was the monkey to him & deserved to be told off.

Going back to the main topic of less or more SUPs. I have found a reduction in SUPs on the more populated beaches that have obviously more proners. I wonder why? It's because Monkeys got involved & not the surf craft.
Sorry for being negative.

Sups are still popular out in the surf at Noosa, I don't feel the numbers are declining. Also feeling very lucky as there is a great vibe amongst all of us and it's also pretty chilled with the local prone surfers, especially considering how busy it gets on good days.