Environment Canterbury Navigation Safety Bylaws 2010 operative today

New Navigation Safety Bylaws 2010 and their rules are in force in Canterbury from today, June 1. They are aimed at ensuring public safety on the region’s lakes, rivers, harbours and coastal waterways.

They were approved by commissioners at a council meeting at the end of last year following a review of the existing 2005 regulations. However, they were delayed from becoming operative from April 1, 2011, by the February earthquake.

The most significant change is the requirement for everyone to wear a lifejacket on six-metre and under recreational craft, says Environment Canterbury director of resource management, Kim Drummond.

“Under the new bylaws, it is compulsory to wear lifejackets in all craft under six metres, a rule that is consistent with Maritime New Zealand’s proposed national rule,” he says.

Mr Drummond says people who spend time in, on and around the water should take time to familiarise themselves with the new bylaws.

“We’ve tried to make the bylaws much easier for people to understand with changes to the wording, full colour maps and a user friendly, glovebox-sized format.”

Other changes to the bylaws include:

• Extension of the coverage of the bylaws out to three nautical miles from shore, not just around designated harbour and bay areas
• New areas reserved for non-motorised boating and recreation at: Purau Bay on Lyttelton Harbour, Titan Stream (tributary of the Rakaia), Upper Waiau River, Waitangi Campground area on Lake Aviemore, Fishermans Bend gravel pits on Lake Waitaki and several side braids of the Waitaki River.
• Deep Creek and Deep Stream - tributaries of the Rangitata River have been made no boating areas.
• In the following areas the speed limits have been changed: Lake Benmore - speed limit through Ahuriri Gorge has been uplifted except for the 5 knot access lane to the Benmore Dam launching ramp.
• Lake Forsyth the maximum permitted speed limit is now 5 knots.
• The Lake Ruataniwha - temporary bylaw is made permanent (with minor amendments as sought by submissions).

Mr Drummond says there will be Environment Canterbury staff and boating safety officers on the water when the boating season starts later in the year in an effort to educate people about the new bylaws and maintain high standards of public safety.

The bylaws are available for downloading from: http://www.ecan.govt.nz/navbylaw, alternatively, you can request a hard copy of the documents from Customer Services on 03 353 9007 or toll-free on 0800 EC INFO.