Recreating in and on New Zealand’s freshwater rivers and lakes is a highly popular activity. Swimming is the second most popular form of Activity for New Zealanders with 30.2% of the population. Fishing is the 5th most popular form of Active Recreation for New Zealanders, with 19.5% of the population participating in that activity at least once every 12 months. Canoeing/kayaking has participation levels in a similar realm to Football, Tennis, Netball or Cricket;

Given its significant contribution to society in terms of our economy and our general quality of life, NZRA strongly opposes any policy or regulation that impinges upon recreational usage of freshwater. Recreation should be given much greater prominence in the Government's freshwater reform programme. NZRA holds that recreational considerations should sit alongside equally with economic and environmental considerations, with regard to the management of Freshwater.

The fact that many rivers and lakes are no longer considered swimmable by the authorities and the public alike only reinforces the dire need to improve water quality in New Zealand.

Freshwater quality

NZRA advocated for and is pleased to note the recent change from a ‘wadeable’ standard to a ‘swimmable’ standard, as an objective. However, the current definition of what constitutes a swimmable river or lake is overly narrow and does not include smaller waterways where people often recreate.

NZRA supports macro-invertebrate monitoring as a means of assessing ecosystem health and managing water bodies for recreation. However, we submit that e.coli levels are a narrow measure of freshwater health. It is conceivable that a waterway could have disagreeable levels of nutrients, nitrates or algal growth and still be defined as swimmable.

National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

NZRA notes with concern the lack of a specific reference to recreational access to freshwater in the current NPS. This is in stark contrast to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010, which makes excellent reference and provision for recreational access to coastal waters (Policy 19).

NZRA supports and has advocated for an amendment be made National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management by incorporating a policy similar to Policy 19 of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010.

NZRA supports the inclusion and revision of ‘Human Health for Recreation’ as a compulsory value in the proposed National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

Iwi rights and interests in freshwater

NZRA submits that proposals supporting and advancing iwi interests in freshwater are admirable. The values and interest of recreationalists as they pertain to Freshwater are closely aligned with those of Maori, as embodied in the concept of Kaitiakitanga.

In addition to consultation with Iwi, NZRA submits that regional councils should also be required to consult with key recreational user groups, in the formulation of their policies and plans relating to freshwater.

Water Conservation Orders

Water Conservation Orders are the highest form of Statutory protection of waterways and are an essential mechanism for the interests of recreational users to be protected. NZRA opposes an proposal that would undermine the efficacy or status of Water Conservation Orders.

Freshwater Improvement Fund

NZRA is concerned that in its current form the Fund could be used to advance significant large scale infrastructure projects that would run counter to recreational use of freshwater and/or the improvement of freshwater quality. NZRA opposes any projects that exclude recreational use, and the notion that they might be publicly funded.

NZRA submits that the Freshwater Improvement Fund should be limited to funding projects that:

• Rectify existing environmental impacts that have arisen from uses such as dairy intensification, sedimentation arising from forestry/logging operations and inappropriate land use.
• Prevent by way of mitigations, the environmental impacts of existing infrastructure projects and inappropriate land use adjacent to waterways.
• Advance the scientific body of knowledge relating to the promotion, promulgation and progress of high quality freshwater for recreational use in New Zealand.
• Allow (or provide) for recreational use through amenities provided through the waterbody affected by infrastructure.

Excluding livestock from water bodies

NZRA broadly agrees with the exclusion of stock from waterways by way of fencing, but notes that Fencing will only mitigate, but not prevent nitrogen and pathogen run-off onto waterways. Riparian plantings are a highly successful mitigation, but they have the potential to reduce convenient recreational access to bodies of freshwater.

To give us your views on this issue, contact our Advocacy Manager.