Water Safety New Zealand is asking the Government to save lives by mandating the use of life jackets.
There are currently 17 different regional bylaws governing the use of the lifesaving flotation devices.
There's more than one way to have fun on the water but there's one proven way to stay safe.
"We need the next circuit breaker in our horrendous drowning stats," Water Safety NZ CEO Daniel Gerrard said
Water Safety New Zealand said that circuit breaker is the mandatory wearing of life jackets in small boats.
"In some regions in little boats, it's compulsory for people to wear life jackets, in other areas it's totally up to the skipper. There are 17 different versions of it," Gerrard said.
In 2021, 90 people drowned in our waters - the worst on record since the late 1980s.
Water Safety New Zealand has asked the Government twice to step in.
"If we're missing the point, I'd like to know from the minister what it is that he believes could save 20 percent of our drownings a year," Gerrard said.
The Government has taken the reigns before with the 1987 Fencing of Swimming Pools Act, which significantly reduced drownings from an average of 10 to two per year.
Other rules are left to local governments. Christchurch City Council has just increased the supervision age at public pools from seven years old to 11.
"If you're young, you need to have someone keeping a set of eyes on you. The lifeguards will keep an eye but they might be watching 40 people at once," head of Christchurch City Council's Recreation, Sports and Events Nigel Cox said.
But it could be safer everywhere.
"There needs to be some central government guidance and just putting one rule for everybody would make a big difference," Gerrard said.
The Government has acknowledged the patchwork of different rules.
"There has been some consideration given of whether there should be greater consistency there, but it is also an area where people will have different views so people need to work through it carefully," Transport Minister Michael Wood said.
Different views in different regions but still faced with the same risk.
