On the use of water transport resources in Latvian waters and watercourses in protected natural areas
Water resources are one of Latvia's largest natural wealth, which is widely used for active recreational, tourism and other activities. There are around 12.5 thousand rivers, streams, urgs and large ditches in Latvia. In the case of lakes with an area of at least 1 hectare, they shall be around 2256. In most of these national water objects with different water vehicles, you can move without restrictions. This is shown in the attached Latvian report map. It contains a blue-coloured body of water where free movement is possible.
But a little more than 200 or ~ 1.51 TP1T rivers and lakes have natural and human values that need to be restricted to the presence or economic activity of visitors. Some of them are in the swamp areas where nature has already taken care of the encumbrance of human presence. But there are also easily accessible water bodies or watercourses. Therefore, in order to reduce the burden of recreational and/or economic activities on the already mentioned rivers and lakes, there are laws and regulations issued by State and local governments which impose certain restrictions on mobility by means of water transport.
The map drawn up by the Nature Protection Administration with other colour-marked bodies of water in which these restrictions exist and, as shown in relation to the entire territory of Latvia, is very small.
Restrictions shall be imposed in specially protected areas of nature and in lakes or rivers of individual municipalities with the aim of protecting a particular habitat of lake or ensuring the protection of waterbirds nesting in the lake. Similarly, in certain bodies of water, municipalities have imposed restrictions on the common public interest (local fishermen, swimmer etc.).
Detailed information regarding the restrictions on individual bodies of water and the laws and regulations that determine them may be found in the review table prepared by the Environmental Protection Administration (see Annex). Other diverse information regarding these and other specially protected natural areas of Latvia can be obtained in the natural data management system OAK (http://ozols.daba.gov.lv/pub/).
The report map and table can also be found on the website of the Nature Protection Administration www.daba.gov.lv under “Compendium of normative acts”.
We call on local government representatives, entrepreneurs and active recreational fans to use the information prepared by the nature protection authority in daily work.
Rita Jakovlev
Nature Protection pārvaldes
Head of Public attiecību Division
Water transport _ compilation_DAP_140829
Waterway _ _ KARTE_A3_140829