Mr Atkin said New Zealand was the only country in the world to recognise in legislation the importance of surf breaks that should be protected.
"Yet there is essentially no baseline quantitative information on which to base any management decision. This project will change that and serve as a model for others to follow in terms of surf break protection."
The issue has already reared its head in disputes over the proposed Wellington Airport extension affecting surfing conditions in Lyall Bay and the development of a marina and maintenance dredging at the entrance channel at Whangamata.
Dr Mead said if future developments affected the breaks they would be able to say conclusively that activity was outside natural parameters.
"The debate in Whangamata has been going since 2009. If we had baseline information there we would have had no debate about it."
The grant, which totalled just over $1.2 million over three years, was awarded as part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment 2015 Science Investment programme.
It represented the culmination of years of work for the pair, who had applied for the same grant three years ago but had been rejected.
For the new proposal they brought on board Associate Professor Karin Bryan, a world leader in photogrammetry; Dr Terry Hume, previously principal scientist at NIWA, and doctor Nathan Kennedy, an environment officer for Ngaati Whanaunga Environment Unit who specialised in Maori environmental resource management.
Research began on September 30 with stakeholder meetings at each of the seven sites.
"We want to gather what the local community think, and also where the breaks stands in Maoridom," said Mr Atkin.
"We want to actively engage with Maori throughout the project as insights into Maori relationships with the chosen study sites will allow our wider audience and end-users to understand and appreciate Maori issues and values surrounding sections of coastline."
The meetings would also be used as an opportunity to scope out locations for cameras.
"It should be secure and accessible with a clear view, and preferably with a power supply, although we can use solar power. Then it will be a case of securing and calibrating cameras," said Dr Mead.
The time-lapsed cameras will capture images that will be stacked to construct a bird's eye view of the breaks which can be used to monitor coastal processes.
The cameras will measure wave peel angle and range.
Mr Atkin said the cameras could be used for gathering other data in the future, including economic considerations like surfer usage.
"Tourism plays such a big role in New Zealand," said Mr Atkin. "In terms of GDP it accounted for nearly 10 per cent. Surfing is a big piece of that."
There has never been a dollar value attached to surf tourism in New Zealand, but the pair said surfanomics was a growing area in surf science.
"It would be incredible to know for Raglan - this whole town is based on the surf industry. Without it Raglan would just be another small coastal town where people came fishing. This data base will hold important information that leads to those kinds of economics," Mr Atkin said.
As well as being keen oceanographers and marine biologists, the pair are also keen surfers with 48 years' experience between them.
But they assure New Zealanders the research is not just an excuse to tour seven of the best surf breaks in New Zealand.
"We take our boards with us everywhere we go anyway," said Mr Atkin.
"It's insurance, because you need flat waters to do bathymetry surveys, and the surf's only good when you don't have your board," said Dr Mead.
The seven breaks include Aramoana, Lyall Bay, Piha, Wainui Beach, Manu Bay, Whangamata bar, and Whareakeake (Murdering Bay).
They were picked on a number of criteria including popularity, accessibility and to establish a range of seabed compositions.
All of the information gathered from the study will be put online and will be available to anyone.
