All people using small boats on Waitaki lakes and Canterbury waterways on holiday during Queen's Birthday weekend will have to wear life jackets or face paying fines.
Environment Canterbury commissioners have approved a new navigation safety bylaw which will come into force from June 1. The biggest change is to make the wearing of life jackets compulsory on all boats under 6m in length.
A Timaru angler died on Lake Alexandrina at Easter weekend. He was out in a dinghy and not wearing a life jacket.
The Environment Canterbury (ECan) commissioners met on Thursday and approved final changes to the bylaw, the major one being the compulsory wearing of life jackets.
ECan navigation safety manager Ewe Walker said that once the bylaw came into force, the initial focus would be on education, unless transgressors were repeat offenders.
Safety patrols and wardens would be informing boat operators about the new bylaw, including the requirement they wear life jackets.
After that period of education, infringement notices would be issued to offenders.
At present, fines were about $150, but higher fines were being introduced, Mr Walker said.
In regard to the wearing of life jackets, infringement notices would be issued for each person not wearing a life jacket, the onus falling on the skipper, he said.
