11/17/23 – FOUR SURF SCHOOLS WIN LOTTERY FOR COMMERCIAL PERMITS AT KAHULU‘U BAY

Posted on Nov 21, 2023 in Boating & Ocean Recreations, Main, News Releases, slider
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
DAWN CHANG
CHAIRPERSON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nov. 17, 2023

FOUR SURF SCHOOLS WIN LOTTERY FOR COMMERCIAL PERMITS AT KAHULU‘U BAY

Click on photo to view video

(KAILUA-KONA, HAWAI‘I ISLAND) – In an effort to better manage large crowds of surfers and commercial instructors in Hawai‘i Island’s Kahulu‘u Bay, four surf instruction companies were awarded permits in a first-of-its-kind lottery, this morning.

Commercial surf instruction at the popular bay has been contentious for years because of unpermitted companies and overcrowding.

The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) held a bingo-style lottery to select the four companies, from 17 that had entered. Those that did not get a permit were put on a wait list in the event one of the successful winners relinquishes their permit or fails to file additional permit paperwork within the next ten business days. The permits become effective on Dec. 4.

After today’s lottery drawing at the Old Kona Airport Pavilion, DOBOR leadership was peppered with questions from surf school owners. Many centered around enforcement and compliance, to whom to report issues, and the fairness of the process.

In setting up the lottery, DOBOR was transparent about the procedure, rules, and qualifications and indicated each successful permittee will have additional rules and regulations outlined in their permits.

DOBOR has been working to try and resolve user conflicts at Kahulu‘u Bay for more than five years and settled on the lottery as the fairest way to award coveted permits. Although DOBOR preferred to issue permits based on seniority, efforts to obtain such authority through a law change were unsuccessful.

The four lottery winners in order of selection are:

  • Kauakea LLC
  • Hinaea Iliahi LLC
  • Kahulu‘u Bay Surf & Sea Inc.
  • Kona Town Adventures LLC

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RESOURCES
(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

HD video – Kahulu‘u Bay Surf Lottery (Nov. 17, 2023):
https://vimeo.com/885802799?share=copy

Photographs – Kahulu‘u Bay Surf Lottery (Nov. 17, 2023):
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/6ytcb2vnu8inwo0ldyph4/h?rlkey=2vah923q38s1jd9y1ubjnmy89&dl=0

 

 

Media Contact:

Dan Dennison

Communications Director

Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

[email protected]