A hard line on speeding boats, and jet skis in Tauranga harbour is promised this summer in a ‘no excuses' policy announced by Maritime New Zealand.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council is amount eight councils trialing the policy which will see local boaties fined up to $200 for speeding and/or not carrying or wearing lifejackets.
The ‘no excuses' trial will be run for about five days by each council at different times during summer. After summer, the trial will be reviewed and decisions made about whether it will be extended in future.
Director Keith Manch says Maritime NZ are focusing on boaties who do not carry or wear lifejackets and also unsafe speed because they are two of the biggest risks of death and injury.
'Up to two-thirds of recreational boaties who died might have been saved if they wore lifejackets. Wearing your lifejacket is the single most important thing you can do to avoid drowning if you end up unexpectedly in the water.
'Boaties speeding in congested areas is dangerous and can cause injuries to children, swimmers, divers and people in small craft. There is a five knot speed limit when you are near the shore, swimmers, divers and other boats.
Keith says each regional council will be letting boaties know in their communities that enforcement action will happen sometime during summer, but the specific days when this action will occur will not be publicised.
Maritime NZ's expectation is that safe boaties follow the requirements each and every time they go on the water.
'For it is an important addition to the mix of education and promotional activities that we traditionally use to encourage safer boating. The intention is to deter those boaties who do not prioritise safety and choose to break the rules. Our aim is to reduce boating fatalities and injuries,” says Keith.
THE REGIONAL COUNCILS TAKING PART IN THE TRIAL:
- Bay of Plenty Regional Council
- Waikato Regional Council
- Northland Regional Council
- Hawke's Bay Regional Council
- Tasman District Council
- Nelson City Council
- Marlborough District Council
- Canterbury Regional Council
2 comments
Nice Idea
Posted on 23-10-2016 00:44 | By R1Squid
However, as non-wearing of seatbelts and talking on mobile phones whilst exceeding the speed limit and tailgating irrespective of the weather and road conditions goes unmonitored, more CARnage happens on our roads than at sea and there is no law that prevents usage of a mobile phone while operating a marine vessel.
Pukehina estuary too?
Posted on 23-10-2016 20:46 | By jed
Jet skis have been whizzing around pukehina estuary over the last 2 or 3 years too, usually during school holiday periods.... given that they must do only 5 knots within 200m of shore means there is only a narrow area where they can legally exceed 5 knots--- but ALL of them ignore the rule which is really dangerous. I was curious as to why they are allowed to break the rules and have never seen enforcement.
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