Thank you Richard Davision at the Otago Daily Times for raising awareness of the Clutha District Council’s proposed ‘Vehicles on Beaches Bylaw.’ On behalf of our colleagues: the New Zealand Sea Lion Trust, Forest & Bird, pakake specialists and our Sea Society whānau, we thank the Clutha District Council for providing a resolution to our concerns.
Recently the Clutha District Council Catlins Ward Dane Catherwood stated, “Nobody who’s contacted me about this has said it’s a great idea. I think people are concerned it might stop fishermen launching boats, for example, and at the same time fail to prevent the problem it’s intended to solve.” “Those inclined to behave in harmful ways will do it, bylaw or no bylaw, unfortunately.” Naturally, our goal is to not impede locals launching and retrieving their boats on all local beaches. On the 25th of October 2021, we provided the Clutha District Council with a detailed map of alternative boat launch sites in Owaka (excluding Cannibal Bay and Surat Bay).
In January 2020, Mr Catherwood informed Stuff he has a passion for Owaka and its tourism potential, “This is a beautiful place. The tourists were coming through here but they didn’t stop. Let’s give them something to stop for. I didn’t have to build it. It was already there.” We couldn’t agree more. The benefits of restricting vehicles on beaches go beyond protecting indigenous, endangered species, such as: 1) Conserving the wildlife tourists associate with the Clutha District and come to witness in their natural habitat. 2) Increasing tourism, thereby increasing the Clutha District’s economy. 3) Increasing the economy will create opportunities. 4) Enhancing all beach-goers experience by limiting waste pollution and noise pollution on beaches. 5) Preserving your backyard. 6) Joining in on a majority nationwide stance against vehicular vandalism.