ORC Deputy Harbourmaster Pete Dryden says the bylaw regulates the movement of vessels on waterways such as Otago Harbour and Lake Dunstan to improve safety.

“It also provides rules and regulations such as speed limits for vessels in harbours or at sea up to 12 nautical miles from the Otago Coast,” he says.

At a full meeting of the ORC yesterday in Dunedin, the bylaw changes were adopted by Council. They come into force from 1 June.

Mr Dryden says the main changes affecting boat owners using Dunedin’s harbour will be a tracking system for all commercial vessels, changes around how long boaties can anchor in the Dunedin’s harbour and a new online reporting option for maritime incidents.

“Other bylaw aspects such as boat speed limits in certain areas, and the need to always wear life jackets on the water, for example, will remain unchanged,” he says.

Requiring an Automatic Identification System (AIS)

One new bylaw is for all commercial vessels carrying 12 or more passengers, and all commercial vessels 15 metres or more, to carry a mandatory AIS.

“The AIS technology, which we are proposing to be carried by all boats, will mean vessels’ whereabouts can be plotted on a geo-tracking system. This will help them safely navigate around each other in the channels without mishap.”

“A lot of fishing boats already have these. The purpose of these tracking devices is to improve navigational safety and vessel management. The information will not be used for any other purpose. It is planned to provide a better navigational traffic picture to ensure safer outcomes for recreational and commercial boaties and their passengers.”

An AIS system could cost a boat owner up to $2500.

Changes to anchoring rules

Another change is to the current 6 month period where 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 preventing continuous shifting around the harbour by repeatedly dropping anchor in new locations, Mr Dryden says.

The bylaw now includes anchoring at Ōamaru harbour.

Note, the navigational bylaws govern Lake Dunstan, but not Lakes Whakatipu, Wānaka or Hāwea, which are managed by Queenstown Lakes District Council.

The bylaw hearing to draft Otago Navigation Safety Bylaw was undertaken in two parts, on 18 and 26 March 2026. The first part of the hearing was held in public on 18 March 2026 at the ORC, where four of 17 submitters spoke to their submissions before the Hearing Panel.