A major change to recreational boating safety is one step closer to becoming law, with legislation requiring people on recreational craft six metres and under to wear properly fitted lifejackets while underway passing its third reading in Parliament.
The change has been welcomed by boating and water safety organisations, which say a clear nationwide rule could prevent deaths and remove confusion over when lifejackets need to be worn.
The Bill must still receive Royal assent and come into force before the new requirement applies.
Once it does, everyone aboard recreational craft six metres in length and under will be required to wear a properly fitted lifejacket while the craft is underway.
The change will be administered by Maritime New Zealand, Police and harbourmasters.
17 lives lost on average every year
The Safer Boating Forum says the legislation represents an important step towards reducing preventable harm.
Forum chair Sharyn Forsyth says its members share a common goal of ensuring people can enjoy Aotearoa’s waterways and return safely to their whānau.
On average, 17 people die each year in recreational craft incidents, according to figures provided by the Forum.
The sector says wearing a correctly fitted lifejacket is one of the simplest precautions available when somebody unexpectedly enters the water.
It can provide critical flotation during the first moments of an emergency, particularly when a person is injured, shocked by cold water or unable to swim effectively.
Coastguard sees consequences firsthand
For Coastguard Tautiaki Moana, the issue is one its volunteers confront throughout the year.
Chief executive Carl McOnie says Coastguard crews regularly see the consequences when boating trips go wrong and believes the new requirement will give more people an opportunity to survive until rescuers arrive.
A lifejacket not only keeps somebody afloat but can make them easier to locate in the water.
That can become crucial when rescue crews are searching in difficult conditions, poor visibility or rough seas.
The message from Coastguard is straightforward: wearing a lifejacket gives rescuers a better chance of bringing somebody home alive.
Making lifejackets as normal as seatbelts
Water Safety New Zealand is also backing the legislation.
Chief executive Glen Scanlon says the objective should be creating a culture where putting on a lifejacket is simply a normal part of heading onto the water.
The principle is similar to wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle.
Having safety equipment somewhere on board is of limited value if an emergency occurs too quickly for somebody to reach it.
Capsizing, collisions and people falling overboard can happen with little warning.
Water Safety New Zealand says the new national requirement provides an opportunity to shift behaviour so wearing a lifejacket becomes automatic rather than something people decide to do only when conditions appear dangerous.
One national rule could reduce confusion
Another advantage identified by the sector is consistency.
Different waterways and regions can have different local requirements, potentially leaving recreational users uncertain about the rules applying to them.
Canterbury Deputy Harbourmaster Gordon McKay says a clear national requirement will make expectations easier for recreational craft users to understand.
Canterbury alone includes lakes, rivers and coastal environments, illustrating the variety of conditions recreational users can encounter around Aotearoa.
Harbourmasters will continue playing an important role in education and harm prevention.
The wider safety message extends beyond lifejackets to understanding weather and water conditions and recognising personal limits before heading out.
Māori whānau have strong connections to the water
The change will also be relevant across Māori communities where fishing, gathering kaimoana and travelling on rivers, lakes and coastal waters remain an important part of whānau life.
For generations, moana, awa and roto have been places of sustenance, recreation, connection and whakapapa.
But familiarity with a particular stretch of water does not remove risk.
Weather can change.
Equipment can fail.
Small craft can capsize.
People can fall overboard.
A lifejacket provides another layer of protection when the unexpected happens.
Normalising their use among tamariki and rangatahi can also establish lifelong safety habits.
Maritime NZ tells boaties to prepare now
Maritime New Zealand is encouraging recreational water users not to wait for the legislation to take effect before checking their safety equipment.
Principal Advisor Recreational Craft Matt Wood says people should ensure everyone heading out has the correct size and type of lifejacket.
Lifejackets should fit properly and be maintained in good condition.
Maritime NZ is also reminding boaties to carry two waterproof ways of calling for help and check the marine weather forecast before leaving.
Those precautions matter because a lifejacket is only one component of surviving an emergency.
Being able to alert rescuers and provide a location can dramatically improve the chances of being found.
More than 30 organisations behind safety push
The Safer Boating Forum brings together more than 30 organisations working to reduce preventable harm on the water.
Maritime NZ leads the Forum and will coordinate communications around implementation of the legislation with its safer boating partners and co-regulators.
The next formal step is Royal assent.
Commencement information and practical guidance will then be important so recreational craft users understand exactly when the new requirements apply and what equipment meets the standard.
Maritime NZ has established an information page at:
https://maritimenz.govt.nz/lifejacket-changes
A simple action that could save a life
For recreational boaties, fishers and whānau heading onto the water, the legislation ultimately asks for one relatively simple change in behaviour.
Don’t just take the lifejacket.
Wear it.
The difference becomes critical because boating emergencies rarely provide advance warning.
A lifejacket sitting beneath a seat or stored elsewhere on a boat cannot keep somebody afloat after they have unexpectedly been thrown into the water.
With an average of 17 people dying in recreational craft incidents each year, the organisations supporting the legislation believe greater lifejacket use can help bring that number down.
The goal is not to stop whānau enjoying the moana, awa and roto. It is to make sure that when they head out, everybody has the best possible chance of coming home.
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