Restriction of the circulation of small pleasure boats on the rivers of Wallonia, Belgium

The regional authorities of the Walloon Region in the south of Belgium have regulated the circulation of pleasure boats, and kayaks in particular, so as to limit the conflicts between different uses of rivers (e.g. nature conservation, recreational fishing and canoeing). The regulation was enacted in 1994, using the federal law of 1973 on nature conservation as its basis. It was made necessary by the recent and important development of river-based recreational activities and by the need to protect the aquatic environment, the rivers, and the associated fauna and flora. The limitations were determined according to season, flow and time of the day. Authorized types of boat are described in the present study, and the conditions of access to the embarkation and disembarkation sites along the rivers are set out. The limitations to canoeing were settled according to the river classification. Minimum flow rates were determined for rivers where the necessity for protection was the highest because of the very high activity of rented kayaks and the risk of overcrowding the river. An information system allows the kayak operators and the sportsmen to be informed daily on the possibilities for canoeing.