Boating News

View of Tauranga sea port from Mount Maunganui

New Boating Rules in Bay of Plenty: Enhancing Safety on New Zealand Waters

On Thursday 12 September, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council approved a set of new boating rules designed to enhance water safety, responding to concerning statistics about boating accidents largely linked to the lack of lifejackets. The new maritime bylaws, which will come into effect in mid-2025 pending Ministry of Transport approval, include mandatory lifejacket use for vessels up to six metres, and stricter speed limits in high-traffic areas. These changes, developed through extensive community consultation, aim to address the key safety issues highlighted by recent data and will be supported by a public awareness campaign to ensure compliance and reduce accidents.

Boating News
almost 2 years ago