SURFERS could be charged a fee to hit the waves on the Gold Coast and be fined for breaking rules under a new city council “surf management plan”.

The radical measures have been floated to solve chronic overcrowding and surf rage at popular breaks such as Snapper Rocks.

OVERCROWDED: Surf rage on the rise

Surfers have been assaulted and deliberately speared by boards as tensions rise at crowded point breaks.

At Currumbin Alley, one surfer has died and others have been seriously injured after being run over by boats which share the break with boardriders.

Surfers, including 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, have expressed fears about the overcrowding.

The Gold Coast City Council has now called surfing groups together to draw up a surf management plan to try to control the mayhem.

The plan aims to “prioritise actions to improve surf etiquette” and suggestions have included fees to surf crowded breaks and fines for surf rage.

Gold Coast surf reporter and former champion surfer Andrew McKinnon said some surfers feared regulation could take the “fun and freedom” out of the sport but something had to be done to address overcrowding.

He said one idea was to introduce a “beginner to experienced” ranking system for breaks similar to ski fields but surfers would draw a line in the sand at having to pay to surf the best breaks.

“I think the council lifeguards should be given more power when it comes to surf rage incidents,’’ Mr McKinnon said.

“We don’t want to lose the fun factor but there has to be peace and harmony in the water.”

Other suggestions to be considered by surfing industry representatives include the creation of artificial reefs to take the pressure off existing breaks.

The surf management plan could also see the Coast’s best breaks declared surfing reserves to protect them from development.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he opposed a surf tax.

“Breaks are public assets that belong to everyone,” he said. “People should leave their wallets on the beach and not have to take them into the water.”