Riverbed access law problem for seminar

Press, 23 February 1985, Page 2

Riverbed access law problem for seminar

Riverbed ownership and the rights of picnickers, fishermen, and other recreational users will be discussed at a two-day seminar in Wellington next week.

The seminar, on February 26 and 27, has been organised by the South Canterbury Catchment Board’s planning officer, Mr Allan Evans, on behalf of the Catchment Authorities’ Association. Mr Evans said New Zealand’s waterways had long been regarded as recreation areas for a wide range of active and passive uses, but

it now seemed that in many areas these activities would be at the pleasure of landowners, and presumptive landowners. Catchment authorities were finding it difficult to enforce existing leglisation because the early surveyors had overlooked the fact that watercourses and riverbeds would change because of erosion, gravel, and flooding he said.

“What we need is some up-to-date legislation in 1985 to define clearly the description, definition, and location of riverbeds according to New Zealand

statutes and not relating to old English law.” It was found that land, thought to be Crown land available for responsible recreational use, was now privately owned. Although a landowner could not sell the right to fish he could charge for access across his land, said Mr Evans. The seminar will be attended by the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, legal experts, catchment board officials, and representatives of acclimatisaton societies, and Government departments.