There is widespread support for making the wearing of lifejackets on small boats using Canterbury's lakes and waterways compulsory.
Environment Canterbury (ECan) is reviewing its navigation bylaws and one proposal is to make the wearing of lifejackets compulsory by everyone on boats under 6m long, including on the Waitaki lakes and rivers.
There could also be major changes to bylaws governing boats on Lakes Middleton, next to Lake Ohau, and Lake Ruataniwha, at Twizel.
ECan received at least 60 submission on the bylaws. They show widespread support for the compulsory wearing of life jackets.
ECan introduced the Canterbury navigation bylaws in 2005 and they have to be reviewed within five years.
One issue the review needed to address was the proposed national rule requiring compulsory wearing of life jackets on boats less than 6m in length.
The present bylaw stipulates one suitable life jacket per person must be on board any boat and every child under 10 years must wear a suitable life jacket when on boats less than 5m long.
Submissions on the Lake Ruataniwha bylaws have been in support with only one amendment sought - South Island Rowing wants to have another rowing regatta in early December with the lake closed to powered craft.
Under the existing bylaws regattas and lake closures for powered craft cannot occur between December 1 and January 10.
