Just under three quarters of a million dollars has been allocated to 29 programmes supporting safer boating up and down New Zealand.

Tragically, on average 18 people a year lose their lives in recreational craft incidents. This winter has been a stark reminder of the dangers on the water, with eight people losing their lives in four separate incidents since mid-July.

Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett says "getting out on the water is a key part of life in New Zealand, and the recreational craft sector want people to not only enjoy the water, but be well informed about the risks, understand what can go wrong, and to come home safe".

Approximately 1.7 million people in Aotearoa undertake activities on the water each year. Through the grant funding Maritime NZ looks to work with partners who can reach these recreational craft users, particularly high risk users, and deliver initiatives that can have a real impact on reducing harm on the water. A key requirement of the funding this year was that applicants could demonstrate how their initiatives delivered the outcomes in the Recreational Craft Strategy, developed by the Safer Boating Forum.

"The recreational sector is broad, from stand up paddle boards to high powered motorboats. This funding goes to organisations right across the sector who have highly skilled and talented people that want to improve the knowledge of those who enjoy being out in the water," she says.

Funding will go to a range of different regional councils as well as national bodies. Some of the larger grants have gone towards supporting Coastguard.

Among the initiatives that have secured funding are Coastguard’s Old4New lifejacket upgrade programme, as well as its bar crossing seminars; Waka Ama NZ, to build on the culture of water safety for waka ama; and Northland Regional Council’s Nobody’s Stronger Than Tangaroa campaign. Tasman District Council has received funding to appoint an Iwi Launch Warden in a remote region of Golden Bay, where there is an increased presence of recreational craft users in the holiday period.

From spring through to Easter, many people in New Zealand enjoy the good weather out on the water. The team at Maritime NZ and its partners hope they will check out the programmes and initiatives on offer to improve their knowledge and safety skills on the water.

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