Change is in the wind for the ever growing number of boaties competing for space along the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park.
Torrent Bay lagoon in Abel Tasman National Park. Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
The Tasman District Council has begun a review of its moorings plan, and said it might have to look at ways to restrict boating in the park if numbers continue to grow.
Last year a record 228,000 people visited the country's smallest national park, and most got there by boat.
The council's compliance manager, Adrian Humphries, said it was only going to get busier.
"We are getting more boats into the Abel Tasman, and we're getting commercial boats, such as the mussel folks as well, and that's likely to increase as the use of that area.
"But we're also getting more people who want to get to this area, who then want to be transported to other parts (of the park)," Mr Humphries said.
The council is responsible for the bylaws which control boating operations in the park.
Harbourmaster Dan Cairney said the immediate focus was on managing the highly congested areas around Kaiteriteri and Marahau.
"We are working on a moorings review. Our staff in the planning department are putting together ideas for public submission for designated moorings areas, which is like a resource consent for a particular area and the number of moorings that can be fitted in that area."
Mr Cairney said they would be for short-term stays, which would create more rotation of boats in the busy launching points into the park.
Last year a record 228,000 people visited Abel Tasman National Park. Photo: 123RF
Tasman Bay Cruising Club commodore Kevin Skelton has been sailing from Nelson to the park since the 1970s. He said the number and variety of boats there now was putting many off going.
"The general opinion is, is that it's hard to find a good spot. People probably aren't staying as long as they did previously - I've just had a new neighbour move in next to me in the (Nelson) marina and he said the same - that it was hard to find a place and it was putting him off going."
Mr Skelton said boating had become more accessible to people in recent times and it raised questions for the future of the park.
Mr Cairney said there was no easy answer, but restrictions were a possibility.
"If it becomes a safety issue then we would have to look at it, but in general boaties have a right to anchor ... and there are longstanding laws with regard to freedoms of boating that as a council we would struggle to oppose," Mr Cairney said.
Mr Humphries said safety was a priority and that gave them leverage to introduce measures around managing boating in the park.
"We have a navigation safety bylaw to achieve that. If the volume of traffic in those areas on the sea increases to such an extent it becomes unsafe, then we'll have to look at whatever controls we can put in place."
Mr Humphries said it would be unprecedented trying to control the number of boats on the sea, but it was something to consider for the future. In the meantime controls could mean greater patrolling of the waterway.
The council said the moorings plan would be ready for public consultation in the first quarter of next year.
