While there's no clear benefit to society for private ownership of beaches, there is clear harm - cutting off access to an ocean which isn't privately owned. I

While there's no clear benefit to society for private ownership of beaches, there is clear harm - cutting off access to an ocean which isn't privately owned. It'd be a horrible precedent to privatize beaches, since the profit motive would provide incentive slowly sell them away until normal people would lose access to a very valuable recreational area for swimming, exploring, and hanging out in a public space just so a few rich pricks could enjoy the space without all the rabble. Give wealthy people an inch and they'll buy a mile. Also, the surfers would beat anyone senseless who tried that crap, so it's a pointless debate.