Yesterday, the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) approved amended rules for commercial surfing instruction at Kahalu‘u Bay.

Under the new rules, which will require the Governor’s signature before taking effect, permitted commercial operators in Zone A, the only part of the bay where commercial surf instruction is allowed, are limited to four at any one time and no more than four students, regardless of the number of a company’s instructors in the water.

Testimony at an October 14 public hearing focused on opposition to commercial operation shifts. DOBOR recommended that the BLNR remove a proposal to create 8 permits with shifts and instead maintain existing rule language which implements 4 surf instruction permits without shifts.  Testifiers also provided comments about surf school conduct, such as natural resource violations like damage to coral and injuring sea life. They also noted parking issues, user conflicts, overcrowding, and lack of enforcement of rules for Kahalu‘u Bay.

In a press release, Meghan Statts, Assistant Administrator of the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) said, “The BLNR unanimously approved the revised proposed amendments to Hawai‘i Administrative Rules.  We believe these new rules will help mitigate many of the issues associated with this very popular surf school location.”

DLNR Photo