New safety rules for boaties and paddleboarders are in force from today, as Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Navigation Safety Bylaw 2024 comes into force.

The bylaw includes new speed rules for boats on Ōhiwa Harbour.

Previously, a blanket five-knot speed limit was in place.

Now, within a designated transit area, powered vessels may travel at speeds of up to 20 knots, where it is safe to do so.

A separate speed uplift area also allows vessels to travel above five knots when crossing the harbour entrance and bar.

Elsewhere in the harbour, the existing five-knot speed limit remains in place.

Another significant change requires everyone onboard a vessel under six metres in length to wear a lifejacket while the vessel is under way.

The new rule applies to any type of recreational craft, including kayaks, paddleboards, dinghies and jet skis, and is consistent with the new national lifejacket rule that comes into force on October 9.

Bay of Plenty harbour master Jon Jon Peters said lifejackets were one of the simplest and most effective safety measures people can take.

“Lifejackets save lives. In 2025, 17 people died in recreational craft incidents on New Zealand waters. Sadly, 12 of those people were not wearing a lifejacket.

“Wearing a lifejacket is the simplest way to give you the best chance of survival if the unexpected happens on the water.

“We want people to enjoy our waterways, but we also want them to come home safely at the end of the day.”

The new bylaw also introduces changes within Tauranga Harbour, with anchoring and mooring in the shipping lane no longer being permitted.

The change is intended to improve safety for all harbour users given that large ships need plenty of room to manoeuvre and can’t stop quickly.

People can still fish within the shipping channel using methods such as drift fishing or a trolling motor.

Boaties should also be aware that some infringement fines are increasing alongside the introduction of the new bylaw.