ALMOST half of Gold Coast beachgoers believe our world- famous sands are overcrowded.

Experts believe the mood has the potential to raise tensions and tarnish the allure of the pristine beaches, which inject millions of dollars into the Coast's economy each year.

The concerns of residents were revealed in the Gold Coast Beach Use and Carrying Capacity survey conducted by the Griffith University school of engineering.

The survey, conducted at Burleigh, Kirra, Greenmount and Rainbow Bay, revealed 41 per cent of beachgoers believed there were too many people on Coast beaches -- a record 2.3 million domestic tourists swamped the Coast last year.

The 160 people surveyed were randomly selected and predominantly Coast residents, with some tourists and Brisbane residents questioned.

Of those surveyed, 52 per cent thought crowds would continue to increase because of development while 52 per cent also described the numbers on Gold Coast beaches as perfect.

The survey was conducted by masters student Peta Williams and associate professor Dr Charles Lemckert.

The pair found the results surprising. "I would have thought the vast majority would have concluded it was perfect, but there is the perception that the carrying capacity has been reached," said Ms Williams.

Dr Lemckert said there were plans to take the survey further, including a comparison nationally and internationally.

He said beaches that had reached their capacity could suffer environmental damage.

"It can cause environmental damage. If the beaches get too full people start moving into the dunes and that can cause problems," he said. "But with this I think it's more that people get upset and it can cause tension on the beach."

However, Dr Lemckert admitted Gold Coast beaches were 'quite well managed (and) there are open beaches and secluded beaches'.

The results reflected the mood of many Coasters approached yesterday.

Ashmore resident Mary Milivojev said she always headed to the southern beaches because the northern beaches were too busy.

"It depends on where you go, but Surfers is definitely too crowded," she said. "We live in Molendinar but that's why we come to Greenmount because it's not too overcrowded, over-populated or over-commercialised."

She said Broadbeach and Burleigh were also too busy.

"We moved down here from Brisbane and when South Bank first opened we used to swim there all the time but then we had to stop because there were too many people," she said.

Briton Charlene Smith, who now lives at Surfers Paradise, said the sea often became crowded because swimmers were restricted to flagged areas.

"It's much more crowded here in the water than it is at home," she said.

The findings were released at the 9th International Coastal Symposium at the Crowne Plaza. About 250 experts from 40 countries are attending the week-long event.