RECREATIONAL boaters and fishers across Swan Hill are warned to brush up on safety rules and prepare their vessels to stay safe or face fines on the water.
Marine incident rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels with 1248 serious incidents in 2020-21, compared to 1134 in 2019-20.
These include boat fires, capsizes, structural failure, flooding, and a spear fisher struck by a vessel.
With many boats and equipment sitting idle in garages over winter, authorities were concerned that incident levels could continue rising if critical checks weren’t done before people hit the water.
Minister for Fishing and Boating Melissa Horne said in 2020, Maritime Safety Victoria reported vessel maintenance was an issue, with dramatic spikes in disablements directly after pandemic restrictions were eased.
“Victorians can stay safe on the water by following simple steps, starting with checking they hold a valid recreational boating and/or fishing licence,” Ms Horne said.
“Boat owners should check their vessel is stocked with charged batteries, flares, a torch, and a fire extinguisher, as well as replacing old fuel, checking trailer tyres, and starting the boat’s engine before leaving home.
“Keeping safety gear in working order is critical, including having lifejackets for every person on board.
“Checking the Boating Vic app for updated tide, weather, and boat ramp information is also important.”
Fishers can download the VicFishing app to check bag and size limits for each species – it also includes a ‘Can I Fish Here?’ feature to help avoid fishing in a marine park.
Speed infringement rates were also returning to pre-pandemic levels, with 255 in 2020-21, just shy of 278 in 2018-19.
Ms Horne said jet ski registrations had boomed from 21,000 five years ago to nearly 26,000 this year.
“This represents a large proportion of new vessel owners who may not have as much on-water experience as traditional boaters,” she said.
