AQUATIC ACTIVITY ZONING

*AQUATIC ACTIVITY ZONING

This guideline outlines how zoning provides a beach management tool to isolate or separate activities that may be incompatible with the other activities or isolate hazards or activities that are required to be contained to a particular area.

There are two ways that zoning may be applied:

• Confining a particular aquatic activity to a specific location; and
• The segregation of activities that are a risk to other aquatic users.
  

The activities that are most commonly zoned include:

• Swimming;
• Body boards;
• Surf craft;
• Surf boats; and
• Power craft (including the use of PWC’s and skiing).
  

Marking Zoned Areas:
Areas that have been zoned for a particular use (or to exclude certain activities) can be defined by using flags, signs or buoys.

Time zones can also be used as a management tool allowing or restricting specified activities to be conducted at prescribed times.

Establishing Zoned Areas
To establish a system of zoning the following steps may be appropriate:

• Conduct a risk assessment to establish the need for zoning and the most appropriate methods for application;
• Consultation with relevant stakeholders;
• Establishment of a legislative framework (i.e., included in Local Laws); and
• Communication with user groups.
  

Monitoring of Zoned Areas
Once established, zoned areas will require a level on monitoring. Zoned areas usually require a level of “policing” to ensure compliance.