Water Police issued over 20 infringement notices to boaties and personal watercraft (PWC) operators for offending in Port Phillip Bay during Operation Southend over the weekend.
The operation ran from Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 December and aimed to influence dangerous behaviour to prevent serious marine incidents in waters extending from Mount Martha to Sorrento.
While moderate weather saw less traffic out on the water, police were concerned to see more than 20 vessel and PWC operators receive fines speeding and personal flotation device non-compliance among others.
Police will continue to be active in the area over the coming weeks and will aim to ensure that speeding and distance rules for both vessels and PWC are observed.
Anyone who witnesses dangerous behaviour on the water can report non-urgent incidents via the Police Assistance Line 131 444, in an emergency contact Triple 000.
Quotes attributable to Water Police Sergeant Dave McHenry
"Overall we saw good behaviour on the water from a lot of boaties and PWC users. That said it's disappointing to see the message about safety still not getting through for some people, boats and jet-skis are not toys, they are incredibly dangerous when used recklessly."
"Everyone wants to be able to enjoy themselves and not become involved in a potentially devastating marine incident. This summer we don't want to see any family having to deal with the consequences of carelessness or dangerous behaviour on the water."
"We also conducted 165 boat and 17 PWC inspections, from these we issued 28 warnings for safety equipment breaches. It's fantastic to see that the majority of people are making the right choices to stay safe, carrying appropriate safety equipment."
