Controversy over who can teach surfing on Mt Maunganui's main beach has heated up with one surf school owner saying her personal safety is at risk after being sent abusive messages.

Rebecca Manning, owner of Hibiscus Surf School, told Stuff that she has received a number of abusive messages and comments from numerous people and has contacted police over violent threats.

'I am shocked and saddened. I suddenly received seven one-star reviews on my business page. Much of the abuse is xenophobic – which is a real shame. I've worked incredibly hard to be able to call Mount Maunganui home. For nearly 13 years, Hibiscus has been a community focused local business. We have hundreds of five-star reviews and taught tens of thousands of happy surfers.”

Manning also points out that she and another female owner of a surf school have been targeted with one social media post referring to them as 'conniving females” although she and the woman have never previously communicated before meeting with Tauranga City Council, along with other surf schools.

'Opinions based on facts are fine. But facts are not what's being shared - the current social media campaign is hearsay, and many claims are demonstrably false. Worse, it directly targets two female business owners. My personal safety is now at risk.”

Another surf school owner, Rowan Clifford, who co-owns House of Surf with his partner Loz, says they have also been the target of 'xenophobic abuse” about being English, and have reported it to the police.

The row erupted after Mount surfer Trav McCoy who owns South Pacific surf school reached out to the local community for support after he was told by council that he could no longer operate on the main beach. He was instead told he had to stay further down the coastline.

Public outrage followed, over why council was ruling about the matter, as McCoy says he has previously operated on Mount Main Beach.

”It was never previously enforced by council – as for years I did lessons and pop-ups there as well as in the Sutherland avenue area that they gave me.”

McCoy says in no way does he condone abuse.

”When I posted about my plight on social media my intention was never for anyone to get abused. No way, and I'm sad about that. I was just speaking from my heart because I'm hurt, and my business is hurt because council have enforced this in the middle of summer when I've already got bookings. Everyone was asking me why I wasn't teaching at Shark Alley any more and I wanted to explain.”

McCoy believes limiting schools to one area impacts learning.

'You need to learn to surf in different ocean structures, learning how different waves behave. You do need to learn in busy areas because surfing etiquette is important, recognising when people are swimming as well as other surfers and being careful of which waves to take so you don't bump into others.”

Manning told Stuff that she has been targeted based on misleading information and wants people to know the facts about the licences.

”Hibiscus and most other surf schools have historically operated within the rules. We re-applied for the licence every year which is a big process. In past years, yes South Pacific was working in this area too. No one is allowed to do this without a licence. I understand that he did not have one. The other surf schools went through the proper processes.”

Manning says the licensing system is fair.

'The topic at hand is that there needs to be a fair playing field with licences. No one should have more privilege based on where they're born. But it's been spun into a huge drama with personal attacks on me and my business, as well as others.”

In recent years, there has been an explosion in surf schools setting up in the holiday hotspot.

'I believe this is one of the reasons council started to enforce the licencing rules with more focus. They are council rules – we don't make the rules.”

Surfing New Zealand chief executive Ben Kennings says the organisation is involved in the discussions and that one of their representatives has attended.

'Ultimately it's a council decision over licencing, but we do offer accreditation to surf schools in New Zealand, and advise people wanting to learn to surf to go to an accredited school because they operate within certain parameters including first aid and lifeguard training.”

Surfing New Zealand chief executive Ben Kennings said the organisation was involved in the discussions over surf schools at Mt Maunganui but that ultimately it was a council decision. Photo: John Velvin/Stuff.

Kennings says that he can't recall a similar situation over licensing disputes in New Zealand.

'That's probably because the Mount is one of New Zealand's best known and busiest surf beaches, so it has attracted several surf schools. Other beaches might only have one operator, so there's no issue over who can work in what part of the beach.”

Tauranga City Council spaces and places operations manager Warren Aitken says under the Council's Street Use & Public Places Bylaw 2018, the foreshore comes under the control of council.

This is defined as 'parts of the bed, shore or banks of tidal water between mean high water springs and mean low water springs.”

Aitken says that council has issued five licences to surf schools in different parts of the Mt Maunganui coastline.

Since December 5, 2022, there have been nine complaints to council about surf schools either operating outside of their licence agreement or operating without a licence, says Aiken.

'Council currently tenders five sites for operating surf schools from Mount Main Beach through to Tay Street, with the sites spread out to keep distance between operators. As part of tendered licence agreements, council expects all foreshore operators, not just surf schools, to operate from their tendered location as per their agreement.”

Licences are issued for one year and are tendered annually. There is a comprehensive tender and evaluation process with no rights of renewal.

'Tenderers are able to apply for the specific sites set out in the tender documentation. Each site is evaluated depending on the applications supplied.”

Aiken said that McCoy's South Pacific Surf School tendered for a licence to operate from Marine Parade opposite Sutherland Avenue and was granted a licence.

Other surf schools that tendered for licences to operate from Main Beach Marine Parade to Pacific Avenue, opposite 27 Marine Parade, and Banks Avenue Marine Parade were also granted licences at the site of their choice, he said.

-Annemarie Quill/Stuff.