There was a bit of a "grey area" among surfers over how strictly these should be enforced.
The most basic etiquette involved not "dropping in" on another surfer's wave, and not "snaking", or cutting the queue.
Kiwi surfer Tim Thompson gained adoration in the surfing world in 2014, after a video went viral showing him tackling a Brazilian surfer who dropped in on him, surfing's greatest crime.
Thompson said at the time he was normally a "mellow guy", but given it was the third drop-in he felt it was a "fitting act".
In the 1970s there were reports of "cocky" Australian and American surfers being threatened with firearms by local Hawaiian surfers, protecting their breaks.
Legendary Australian surfer Nat Young wrote a book titled Surf Rage, after he was severely bashed in 2000 at a Sydney break.
In the book he documented instances at isolated spots in Australia involving local surfers brandishing guns and knives.
Gavala said he had so far found nothing that violent in New Zealand.
"I've heard of some vandalism, slashed tyres and people getting over-protective of their breaks and of surf etiquette.
"The worst I've heard is of a few dust-ups out on the headland. But even those were usually guys resolving issues started out of the water."
Gavala said some of the causes of surf rage included protection, entitlement, enforcing etiquette and general ability to manage conflict.
"Part of it is protecting a scarce resource. So it might be a spot that does not break very often, and so the locals who are there year-round feel a sense of entitlement.
"On a certain day there may not be many good waves coming through, so again those locals may feel entitled to them. Then there is also a sense of protecting a spot for the community that live there, for future generations.
"Then at each spot there can be a slightly different interpretation of surfing etiquette, and who gets priority for waves. It can feed into old rivalries, histories, and bring in conflicts from out of the water.
"One of the key aspects is around people who just don't have the social skills to manage conflict, and maybe they don't even want to."
While many of these traits were applicable to other areas of society, territoriality was quite unique to surfing, Gavala said.
"Nobody owns that space, it is a communal space, but those local surfers assert ownership over it. But as no one really owns it, no one regulates it, so the locals become the regulators."
Surfing New Zealand's Ben Kennings said he had seen his fair share of surf rage around the country in his nearly 40 years surfing.
"Surf rage generally comes about where a local surfer feels more entitled to waves than others, and it happens primarily at breaks that get really crowded.
"But it can also happen at really isolated breaks where hardly anyone is surfing, and people like to keep it that way."
Kennings had only ever seen a bit of splashing and verbal abuse, never physical violence.
"Ultimately, all surfers are out there to enjoy themselves, so as long as everyone can keep that front and centre there should not be any problems ."
In some of the really famous and crowded spots, including Raglan, surfers sometimes entered the line-up without understanding the basic rules, leading to clashes with other surfers.
Some surfing clubs across the country were even looking at putting up signs explaining basic surfing etiquette, Kennings said.
"The unwritten rules really don't differ, wherever you go: show respect, wait your turn and be patient," Kennings said.
"If you go somewhere and are courteous, and take turns in the line-up, you shouldn't encounter any problems.
"And other than that there are about a zillion places in New Zealand you can go and surf by yourself."
