DLNR News Release – FOUR SURF SCHOOLS WIN LOTTERY FOR COMMERCIAL PERMITS AT KAHULU‘U BAY, Nov. 17, 2023
Posted on Nov 17, 2023 in Latest Department News, Newsroom
DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
DAWN CHANG
CHAIRPERSON
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2023
FOUR SURF SCHOOLS WIN LOTTERY FOR COMMERCIAL PERMITS AT KAHULU‘U BAY
(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
(Shot sheet/transcriptions attached)
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
(808) 587-0396