Otago is a boatie's paradise – but with the fun comes responsibility to keep you, passengers and whānau safe. This is why our Navigation Bylaw is so important.
The Otago Regional Council is refreshing its Navigation Safety Bylaw this year and your feedback is welcome.
Main proposed changes to the 2020 bylaw are:
The area covered by this bylaw covers all harbours along the Otago coast, 12 nautical miles out to sea, and Lake Dunstan in Central Otago. However, the bylaw excludes Queenstown Lakes District. The QLDC has jurisdiction over all lakes and waterways in the Lakes district.
Read the draft bylaw, complete the survey and have your say.
The previous Otago Regional Council Navigation Safety Bylaw dates back to 2020. We have redrafted the Navigation Safety Bylaw with revised rules and regulations expected to be in place by April 2026 following public feedback.
The bylaw regulates the movement of vessels on Otago's waters, including Otago Harbour, to encourage safety. This covers activities such as where to anchor, appropriate speed and when to wear a life jacket.
The bylaw covers an area out to sea of up to 12 nautical miles out from the Otago Coast, between Clutha in the south and Waitaki in the north. Popular boating rivers in Otago, including the Taieri and the Clutha rivers are captured by the bylaw. The bylaw governs Lake Dunstan, but not Whakatipu, Wānaka or Hāwea, which are managed by Queenstown Lakes District Council.
Most of the previous 2020 bylaw is expected to remain in place in the draft, with a few new additions. Aspects such as the need to always wear life jackets on the water, for example, will remain unchanged.
All commercial vessels carrying 12 or more passengers and all vessels 15-plus metres need to carry an automatic identification tracking system (AIS).
The AIS technology, which we are proposing to be carried by all boats, will mean vessels can be plotted on a geo-tracking system. This will help them safely navigate around each other in the channels or waterways without mishap.
A lot of fishing boats already have these. The purpose is to improve navigational safety and vessel management. The information will not be used for any other purpose. It would provide a better navigational traffic picture to ensure safer outcomes for passenger-carrying recreational and commercial boaties and their passengers.
An AIS system could cost a boat owner up to $2500.
After 14-days anchoring in one place boats are unable to return to the same place within 60 days.
The suggested rule is to enact a 60-day period whereby boat users and owners cannot anchor in Otago harbour after they have utilised a 14-day allowance to anchor in one place.
This is aimed at boaties continuously upping anchor and shifting to different locations around Otago Harbour.
| Date | Action |
| 2025 | Navigation Bylaw (2020) reviewed |
| December 2025 | Council approved draft bylaw for public consultation |
| 12 January 2026 | Public submissions open |
| 12 February 2026 | Public submissions close |
| February 2026 | Hearing dates and locations confirmed |
| February–March | Public hearings to occur |
| March 2026 | Draft bylaw to Council |
| April 2026 | Navigation Bylaw enacted |
If you would like more information about the proposed bylaw changes, or to make a submission directly, please contact the Harbourmaster:
Phone: 0800 474 082 (day) or 027 201 0592
Email: harbourmaster@orc.govt.nz
Are you a boatie? Is water safety important to you? Hearing what you have to say about our proposed changes to the Otago Navigation Safety Bylaw is important to us!
Please read through the draft bylaw, then fill out our short submission form. Submissions are public, so your views will be too.
Privacy Statement – Navigation Safety Bylaw Review
When you make a submission to Council on our Navigation Safety Bylaw review, we collect personal information within it.
If the information you provide includes personal information then it will be held by Council in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020.
Providing some information is optional. However, if you choose not to provide an email address, then we will not be able to contact you by email regarding your submission.
Submissions and/or information in submissions will be made available by Council as part of the Navigation Safety Bylaw review process. It may also be disclosed (with your personal information removed) to people and organisations who request official information under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Please consider privacy implications when you provide information, and please do not provide any personal or identifying information about another individual in the body of your submission.
For further information, please refer to Council’s website for our Privacy Terms & Conditions and our Customer Privacy Policy: Privacy at ORC.
