NSW Maritime officers have hit the water to remind jetskiers of their responsibilities as part of “Operation Cool Your Jets”.

This first education and safety blitz of 2025 saw officers conduct nearly 2000 vessel safety checks statewide, including around 600 jetskis.

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Port Stephens, Forster, Botany Bay, Lake Illawarra, Jervis Bay and the Murray River are among the jetski hotspots targeted by patrols.

Officers issued 95 penalty notices and 256 official warnings last weekend, with jetskis accounting for a quarter of those.

The breaches related to licensing and registration (32 percent), lifejackets (26 percent) and safety equipment (15 percent).

The top locations for offences were along the Murray River around Mulwala (43 offences), Forster (25 offences), around Tuggerah (22), and Brisbane Waters on the Central Coast and near Moama (20 each).

Campaign Coordinator Jay Ruming said while the vast majority of riders are doing the right thing, there are some who continue to be a danger and a nuisance to swimmers, boaters, residents and marine life.

“It’s the school holidays, the weather is hot, and we’re seeing huge volumes of jetski riders right across the state,” Mr Ruming said.

“Most of these riders are behaving in a manner that doesn’t put lives at risk or discourages people from enjoying our waterways.

“Unfortunately, a small minority of these riders continue to do the wrong thing on our waterways through aggression, recklessness or inexperience.”

The operation comes at a time when the popularity of jetskis is booming, with more than 92,000 riders currently licensed in NSW – a 43 percent increase from the same time five years ago.

Maritime officers are reminding riders to look out for their mates and family members following a spate of crashes involving riders known to one another.

“Our data tells us that jetskis are heavily over-represented in serious injury incidents.

“People involved in an accident on a jetski have a 50 percent likelihood they’ll suffer a serious injury.”

Since the start of summer there have been ten jet-ski related incidents, with one of those crashes leaving a jetskier with a double pelvic fracture, another with broken limbs and a third rider with serious facial and spinal injuries after he was knocked unconscious.

Key safety advice for new and experienced operators includes making sure riders and their passengers are always wearing a lifejacket, that their licence and registration is up to date, and that they are maintaining a safe distance from other waterway users.

Mr Ruming said it is crucial jetskiers know the rules and abide by them to avoid a potentially hefty fine, licence suspension, or worse, a serious crash.

“It’s important that jetskiers know they need to stay at least 30 metres away from other vessels, objects or the shore when travelling six knots (11km/h) or more.

“They also, where possible, need to stay at least 60 metres away from people or dive flags.”

The rules around riding jetskis and the use of other personal watercraft (PWCs) can be found on the NSW Government website, nsw.gov.au, by searching “Personal Watercraft” and “Water Safety and Rules.”

By Simon EKINS