The Hunter River, at the head of Lake Hawea, is at the centre of a debate between interest groups as a QLDC working party considers whether a navigation safety bylaw should be amended to ease restrictions for jet-boat travel on the remote waterway.
Considered by fishermen and conservationists to be of national significance, the Hunter is cited as one of the last remaining braided rivers in the Queenstown Lakes region.
Jet-boaters want better access to the river and its wilderness experience.
The QLDC's district plan already allows for jet-boat access up the Hunter River as far as Ferguson Creek, for six months from November to April.
However, the council's 2005 navigation safety bylaw imposes a 5-knot speed limit - effectively prohibiting powered craft travelling upstream.
Councillors Leigh Overton, Lyal Cocks and Mel Gazzard are reviewing the council bylaw and heard 20 verbal submissions at a hearing in Wanaka yesterday.
Otago Fish and Game Council chief executive Niall Watson told the councillors jet-boating was "particularly intrusive" to amenity values experienced by anglers on the river, while watercraft posed a significant safety issue for fishermen.
Fish and Game's submissions on the noise impacts of jet-boats were echoed by local Wanaka fishermen John Barlow, Ric Boyd, Carl McNeil, and Upper Clutha Angling Club chairman Gordon Brander.
Department of Conservation representative Bruce McKinlay said jet-boats impacted on the braided riverbed habitats of native birds with breeding grounds in the Hunter.
Significant numbers of breeding birds included threatened black-fronted terns, wrybills, black-billed gulls, and banded dotterels, Mr McKinlay said.
The New Zealand Jet-boat Association's Eddie MacKenzie said jet-boaters were unfairly targeted by prejudiced submissions from interest groups.
Commercial operators, fishing guides, anglers, and hunters used 4WD vehicles, motorcycles, quadbikes, helicopters, and aeroplanes to access the area.
All of these created noise and environmental impacts, worse than those attributed to jet-boats.
NZ Jet-boating Otago Rivers officer David Wright said he used his jet-boat to access wilderness areas for fishing.
The Hunter River and surrounding valley was plenty big enough" for different groups to share.
It was unfair to exclude jet-boaters while a "selected few have exclusive access".
The unpredictable and wind-affected upper reaches of Lake Hawea, combined with the privately-owned land on either side of the lake, already formed natural barriers for most jet-boat users wanting to access the Hunter River, he said.
The hearing was adjourned for the working party to make a recommendation to council, which is responsible for a final decision about whether to amend the bylaw.
River bylaw
Hunter River navigation bylaw amendment review:
- The QLDC is reviewing a navigation safety bylaw to amend a 5-knot speed limit on the Hunter River to address a conflicting provision in the council's district plan.
- Jet-boat users want the same access rights enjoyed by other recreational users and commercial guiding operators.
- Interest groups, such as the Fish and Game Council, anglers, Department of Conservation, and NZ Forest and Bird say jet-boat users will have impacts on the river, its habitat, safety, and birdlife.
