The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Surf \Surf\, n. [Formerly spelled suffe, and probably the same
   word as E. sough.]
   The swell of the sea which breaks upon the shore, esp. upon a
   sloping beach.
   [1913 Webster]

   Surf bird (Zool.), a ploverlike bird of the genus
      Aphriza, allied to the turnstone.

   Surf clam (Zool.), a large clam living on the open coast,
      especially Mactra solidissima (syn. Spisula
      solidissima). See Mactra.

   Surf duck (Zool.), any one of several species of sea ducks
      of the genus Oidemia, especially Oidemia
      percpicillata; -- called also surf scoter. See the Note
      under Scoter.

   Surf fish (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
      California embiotocoid fishes. See Embiotocoid.

   Surf smelt. (Zool.) See Smelt.

   Surf whiting. (Zool.) See under Whiting.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Embiotocoid \Em`bi*ot"o*coid\, a. [NL. Embiotoca, the name of
   one genus + -oid.] (Zo["o]l.)
   Belonging to, or resembling, the Embiotocid[ae]. -- n. One
   of a family of fishes (Embiotocid[ae]) abundant on the
   coast of California, remarkable for being viviparous; -- also
   called surf fish and viviparous fish. See Illust. in
   Appendix.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

surf fish
    n 1: a fish of the Pacific coast of North America [syn:
         yellowfin croaker, surffish, surf fish, Umbrina
         roncador]
    2: small to medium-sized shallow-water fishes of the Pacific
       coast of North America [syn: surfperch, surffish, surf
       fish]