In an effort to promote sustainable development of the sport of surfing and surf tourism, the Niu Ailan Surfriders Alliance (NASA) manage and oversee Surf Management Plans in four areas of New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea.

  • Kavieng Area
  • East Coast New Ireland
  • Lavongai (New Hanover)
  • Central New Ireland

There is surf in other areas of New Ireland without Management Plans in place, and they are free to explore and utilize, but it is essential that good sense prevail and residing communities be approached and give permission to Go for It before you jump in the water. Papua New Guinea acknowledges Customary Rights to Reefs and best not to simply assume, but to check first.

The Management Plans are essentially a surf quota system with prescribed base fees and are not exclusive to New Ireland, as other forms exist in other parts of Papua New Guinea.

The Management Plans have been developed to:

  • Manage the number of surf tourists at any one time at the areas covered by the plans to ensure a quality surf experience for visitors and locals,
  • Ensure recognition of traditional and customary rights over reefs in surf areas,
  • Provide for levies which support resource custodians and local clubs,
  • Protect the surfing and marine environment, whilst fostering marine and tourism awareness
  • Foster community development initiatives and good relations
  • Promote the expansion of surf tourism into other areas of the province, so as to spread the activity into rural areas, where involvement and benefits are more profound.


Fees payable for the 2012-2013 surf season (1st November 2012 to 30th April 2013) is AU$10 per surfer per day payable to NASA.

In addition to the NASA Fees, there is a once only Surfing Association of Papua New Guinea (SAPNG) levy of AU$50 per visiting surfer to Papua New Guinea.

NASA recognises that the communities who live in areas close or adjacent to surf breaks have a traditional right over the reefs in surf areas. These Customary Rights are acknowledged and identified in various forms of PNG Legislation.

Under Management Plans, NASA collects a levy from visiting surfers which is then dispersed between the resident communities and NASA. These levies are used by NASA for a range of initiatives including but not limited to the development of local surfing, acquisition of equipment and other member needs, attendance and participation in National & International competition, training programmes and club facilities, community level awareness in terms of tourism and the marine environment, community development initiatives, identification and recognition of community structures and working with the various groups forming these structures, along with other forms of support in regards to sport and personal development.


Surf Quotas have been set for each of the Management Plan areas.

  • Kavieng Area maximum 20 visiting surfers
  • East Coast maximum 25 visiting surfers
  • Lavongai maximum 15 visiting surfers
  • Central New Ireland maximum 20 visiting surfers

 

A visiting Surfer is defined as a surfer who does not reside in New Ireland Province on a permanent basis. Quotas do not include local surfers, who may be expatriates that permanently reside in New Ireland.

Under the scope of existing Surf Management Plans, there is the potential for 80 surfers in the designated Surf Management Areas. This will invariably change over the time, as other surf resources are identified as suitable, and all necessary community and access agreements have been agreed and approved by the relevant stakeholders.


It is up to each individual surfer to ensure that they are pre-booked into the relevant Surf Quota(s), prior to arrival in New Ireland, and preferably prior to the finalisation of their travel arrangements. Whether you are arriving by plane, yacht or space-ship, it is up to you to ensure you have pre-booked your space in the line-up to avoid disappointment.

Surfers can book into the quota directly with the Niu Ailan Surf Alliance, or through one of the SAPNG-endorsed Surf Operators or their agents.

Surfers must pre-book and pre-pay consecutive full surf days under the quota

Prior to travel, you will be issued with a Surf Voucher. This voucher will be issued through your agent, your surf operator, or NASA, depending on who your surf quota booking was made through. This voucher is essentially your pass to show to the locals at the breaks, so that they know that you are booked in and paid up.

If you have arrived in New Ireland / Kavieng and are not booked into any of the plans, you will need to contact NASA to check on availability. If any of the areas are not at maximum capacity then you may log into the plan and pay fees accordingly. If the surf quotas are full, then you will not be permitted to surf within the Management Plan areas until a quota position is available.

It is acknowledged that visiting surfers may require to book into more than one Surf Plan Quota over the course of their visit to New Ireland.

The quota for each Surf Managed Area is non-transferable to another Surf Managed Area after arrival in New Ireland, due to surf quality or size or for any other reason, unless there is availability under another Surf Plan Managed Area.

It is possible to book into more than one Surf Management Plan Quota on any given day, provided that space is available under each Plan. Fees for each plan must be paid accordingly (ie if you book into 2 quotas, you pay 2 fees).

 
 
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NIU AILAN SURFRIDERS ALLIANCE
Kavieng, New Ireland Province
Papua New Guinea
EMAIL ADDRESS: nasa@surfingpng-newireland.org.pg