Boaties jump into fight over bylaw

FRITHA TAGG/The Marlborough Express

NOT SAFE: Picton recreational boatie Noddy Robertson is among residents who stayed off the water in December and January because of dangerous behaviour by other boaties.

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Recreational boaties are backing commercial operators fighting the Marlborough District Council's proposed navigation bylaw.

The bylaw has been called unfair by commercial operators angry that recreational users – who they see as the biggest danger – are not targeted.

More than 100 submissions against the proposals were made at a four-day hearing into the bylaw. The bylaw includes the introduction of a scale of fees on commercial operators and compulsory automatic identification systems [AIS] on commercial vessels.

The council is concerned that if it does not meet risk assessment requirements outlined in a report it commissioned to help it meet national port and harbour safety codes it could be liable for accidents costing millions of dollars.

However, submitters, including inter-island ferry operators, marine farmers and tourist operators, lashed out at news that more than two-thirds of the $1.2 million cost of meeting the requirements had fallen on them. The remaining cost will be met by ratepayers.

Commercial operators argued pleasure boaties caused more danger and their stance was backed by recreational water users spoken to yesterday.

Queen Charlotte Yacht Club commodore Rob Burn said the bylaw was a "thinly disguised" revenue-gathering tool and more education for recreational boaties would be a better idea.

"The commercial operators are really good. We have no issues with them. It's the recreational boaties that might spend a few hours each summer in a boat that can be an absolute menace."

Club members saw plenty of boaties who had no regard for safety and would "just charge through a fleet of yachts", Mr Burn said.

"We don't need legislation for legislation's sake, but I definitely support people doing safe boating courses [like] the day skipper [course].

"If the council wants to make the waterways safer there needs to be a greater push for funding real safety rather than technology, which wouldn't appear to make a blind bit of difference."

Pelorus Boating Club vice-commodore Robert King-Turner said he supported improving water safety, but felt for commercial operators. They had qualified staff and carried safety equipment, but were still being hit by the bylaw.

He had also seen many examples of poor boating by recreational water users.

"I've seen people fishing at night in the Kenepuru [Sound] with no lights ... you see them on your radar and you go and warn them but they don't listen."

Crow Tavern publican and recreational boatie Noddy Robertson said he had seen so much dangerous behaviour by pleasure boaties he no longer used his 4.2-metre boat in the busy summer period.

"You see people coming out in brand-new boats and you can see in the launching and retrieving that they don't know what they're doing. You see people that don't even know which way to pass.

"A lot of us locals don't go out during December and January."

However, Mr Robertson, who has been boating in the Marlborough Sounds for 30 years, questioned how a bylaw targeted at recreational users would be policed.

"I feel for commercial operators, but how do you police the recreational users?"

That was the conundrum facing the council, council regulatory manager Hans Versteegh said.

Imposing compulsory licensing, AIS or other measures on recreational boaties would be too costly to police.

"[In the Sounds] you've got boaties coming in from all over the place. There would be no way of watching all the launching ramps and it's the same with transponders ... they're all good ideas, but you still have to find a way to enforce compliance."

Compulsory boat registration would help, but that did not take place anywhere in New Zealand, Mr Versteegh said.

It would be a Government decision to do so, he said.

- The Marlborough Express