Yesterday, the Otago Regional Council passed its new navigation safety bylaw which will come into effect on May 1.
The main change is the requirement for compulsory use of life jackets for passengers on boats under 6m.
At present, flotation devices are only required to be available on board.
Initially the rule was going to be for boats up to 9m, but after public consultation this was lowered to 6m.
Harbourmaster Steve Rushbrook said this would bring the region more in line with national standards.
Floatation devices are not required in some situations, including if the skipper says there will be no decrease in safety after assessing the circumstances.
Cr Trevor Kempton said the changes to the initial rules made it ''soft''.
''It's compulsory wearing of life jackets with so many conditions it ends up useless. I don't know whether we needed to go with legislation that required it to be soft.''
However, for the most part the changes tidied the rules up, he said.
Mr Rushbrook said Cr Kempton made a ''fair point''.
''The feedback on the harder line we originally took made us soften our stance.''
It was still a step up from previous rules, he said.
The council now needed to do ''a big piece of work'' on education.
The new bylaws were more concise and easier for the public to read, he said.
Cr Carmen Hope questioned how people would receive the information.
Mr Rushbrook said education was the next stage of the work.
''Part of the process will be to go into boating communities and make sure they know about it.''
Council chairman Stephen Woodhead said the changes were a significant step because the old bylaws, which were made in 2003, were out of date.
Another change is the requirement for all recreational vessels to have names or numbers displayed for identification.
This would not require any new payment or registration.
There is also an animal conduct rule which includes the requirement for skippers to keep to a ''no wake'' speed when within 300m of marine mammals.
The rules will come into effect two days after the harbourmaster receives a vessel which had not been provided for the role in the past.
The council is asking for public help to name the boat.
