NEWS - NSW Maritime targets tinnies in State-wide campaign

294 vessels checked with 18 fines and 28 warnings

NSW Ports and Waterways Minister Paul McLeay said this week, the results of the first Targeting Tinnies safety campaign for the summer boating season showed speeding and breaches of safety equipment rules were the most common offences.

McLeay said NSW Maritime Boating Safety Officers were out in force across NSW over the weekend, conducting more than 1700 on-water safety checks.

“Operation Targeting Tinnies involved a coordinated state-wide safety campaign by NSW Maritime Boating Safety Officers, paying particular attention to open runabouts due to safety concerns surrounding these popular craft,” said McLeay.

“It appears skippers in regional areas need to be more responsible when it comes to safety equipment, while in Sydney it is speeding,” he said.

The Minister called on all skippers to make safety a priority this boating season.

The results of Operation Targeting Tinnies were as follows:

North Coast-
* 294 vessels checked with 18 fines and 28 warnings;
* 7 fines (lifejacket related) and 11 warnings for safety equipment;
* 3 fines for no current licence; and,
* 6 warnings for registration

Hunter/Inland-
* 202 vessels checked with 17 fines and 8 warnings;
* 15 fines (9 lifejacket related) and 2 warnings for safety equipment; and,
* 1 fine and 1 warning for speed

Hawkesbury/Broken Bay-
* 167 vessels checked with 26 fines and 3 warnings;
* 9 fines and 1 warning for speeding; and,
* 5 fines for no current licence

Sydney Region-
* 408 vessels checked with 33 fines and 12 formal warnings;
* 16 fines for speeding;
* 7 fines for no current licence; and,
* 6 fines were for safety equipment

South Coast-
* 248 vessels checked with 7 fines and 16 warnings;
* 6 fines (lifejackets) and 5 warnings for safety equipment;
* 7 warnings for registration; and,
* 3 warnings for speed

Murray/Inland-
* 421 vessels checked with 42 fines and 25 warnings;
* 23 fines and 2 warnings for safety equipment;

* 8 fines and 15 warnings for registration; and,
* 4 fines and 2 warnings for towing breaches

For more information on safe boating go to www.maritime.nsw.gov.au