Anglers given a voice over new rules aimed at unlicenced Yarra River boaters

Under the planned changes due to be introduced next year, recreational boaters including anglers on kayaks will not be able to stop along almost all of the navigable section of Melbourne’s Yarra River.

However, the public consultation process has been put on hold as the government works out how to appease anglers who target fish around the river’s fixed structures, including its historic bridges.

In a response to inquiries from boatsales.com.au, a Transport Safety Victoria spokeswoman revealed the changes were deemed necessary because many of the people using the waterway were not familiar with the internationally recognised Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).

“This proposed change is to re-enforce the ColRegs rule to keep a proper look-out,” the spokeswoman said.

“Some waterway users may not have knowledge of the ColRegs. Others may use non-powered vessels and hire and drive vessels, which do not require a recreational boating licence to operate, and be unaware of the ColRegs.

“The change aims to reduce the potential of collisions with other vessels as well as collisions with infrastructure and fixed objects.”

Under the planned rule changes, boats will not be permitted to stop along a stretch of the Yarra River between the Port of Melbourne and Dights Falls, a distance of almost 4.0 nautical miles. They will be able to make a U-turn in marked zones that ensure they will not impede traffic passing under the city’s bridges.

Recreational boaters in the state are required under existing marine laws to keep a proper look-out at all times.

Transport Safety Victoria said in 2017 there were seven incidents such as boats colliding with each other or a boat hitting waterway infrastructure, while in 2018 that number jumped to eight.

TSV said it believed the real number of on-water collisions was much higher than reported figures, with many incidents going unreported.

“It is difficult to quantify the number of incidents which are not reported, however the volume of feedback and complaints received by MSV and Parks Victoria in relation to the Yarra River upstream of port waters of the Port of Melbourne has continued to increase in recent years, in line with increased usage of the river,” the spokeswoman said.

TSV said slightly more than half of reported collisions on the Yarra River since 2006 were between boats, while 22 per cent involved boats and either pontoons or litter traps.

It did not say how many were due to commercial operations such as low-powered tourist boats that do not require the operator to hold a recreational boat licence.

However, the amount of traffic on the river would one day get dangerous, TSV said, with serious consequences.

“The dangers such incidents represent to waterway users are clear. They range from personal injuries sustained as a result of an impact between two or more vessels, to unexpectedly entering the water and the potential for cold shock or drowning if the person cannot get out of the water quickly,” the spokeswoman said.

The state government announced yesterday that it had suspended the consultation process while it worked through “identified issues” with the proposed changes.

“Maritime Safety Victoria (MSV) has recently received comments and queries from stakeholders and peak bodies, including anglers, relating to proposed new rules for the Yarra River upstream of port waters of the Port of Melbourne,” it said.

“As a result, we are suspending the public consultation process while we work with affected stakeholders to develop some options to the identified issues.

“We will re-commence the public consultation once these discussions have been completed.”

No new date for public comment has been set, although the government has set itself a target of introducing the changes after the end of the 2019-20 boating season.