Captaincy announces tighter controls after boat-SUP incident and activists' protest at Lagadin

A small recreational boat struck a stand-up paddle (SUP) board close to the shore at Lagadin beach on Saturday, throwing two swimmers into the water and reigniting concerns about safety on Lake Ohrid during the peak tourist season. Local port and police authorities registered the incident and questioned injured people and witnesses on the beach, but no formal report has been published yet.

Residents of the Lagadin weekend settlement, joined by environmental activists, staged a protest two days ago. Using SUP boards they formed a floating blockade and demanded stricter enforcement of navigation rules and tighter controls on vessels that approach bathing areas; afterwards protesters moved ashore and continued their demonstration.

For about half an hour demonstrators alternately blocked the regional road to Saint Naum and struck road barriers, warning that uncontrolled urban development endangers traffic and pedestrian movement along the coast.

Protesters carried banners reading, "UNESCO, we have a problem", "Concrete — death for tourism", "Urbanization without sewage" and "Law on inland navigation, Article 13", calling attention to a range of pressures on Ohrid's shoreline. Alongside urbanization, they emphasized swimmer safety and the failure of some vessel owners and operators to follow regulations.

Authorities say controls are stepped up during the season. Recent joint inspections by the Police Station for Border Surveillance "Ohrid Lake", the Regional Center for Border Affairs West and inspectors from the Port Captaincy in Ohrid recorded 52 violations during one of the latest operations. Nine of the people checked were operating vessels under the influence of alcohol.

Rules, penalties and seasonal restrictions

Common offences include expired navigation permits, operating without a skipper's certificate, failing to carry lifejackets, overloading vessels, planing (glissading) too close to the shore and navigating at night without proper lighting. Planing and jet-skiing are only permitted after leaving a 300-metre zone from the shore; until then such craft must proceed at low speed. The penalty for breaching this rule is 250 euros, and repeated offences can lead to seizure of the scooter.

Rules also apply to pedalos, SUP boards and other recreational equipment: providers must not rent pedalos to minors without supervision, a pedalo may carry no more than four people, lifejackets are mandatory and pedalos must not travel more than 300 metres from the shore. Inspections frequently find overloaded pedalos and users venturing too far without adequate experience or equipment.

Concessionaires are responsible for safety on beaches and must provide at least one lifeguard and meet safety standards for recreational equipment. Currently 13 lifeguards are deployed at 11 bathing sites. The Ministry of Transport adopted a decision on 2 June banning jet-ski operation on Ohrid, Prespa and Dojran lakes from 1 July to 31 August between 11:00 and 19:00. Night navigation with boats is also restricted: from 3 June to 31 August between 21:00 and 05:00; from 1 September between 20:00 and 06:00; and from 1 to 31 October between 19:00 and 06:00.

The Port Captaincy emphasizes that controls and fines alone cannot guarantee safety on the water; they call for personal responsibility and consistent adherence to the rules by everyone using the lake.

S. Vrencovska

Photo: SDK.MK)