Let’s have a hotline for reports of louts at sea

Many will welcome tougher restrictions on jet-skiers in Langstone harbour this summer, but many residents suspect the real problem lies off the beaches of Southsea.

New rules will be implemented at Langstone to keep visitors safe after a number of incidents last year in which a minority of water sports enthusiasts broke rules and put themselves and others in danger, leading to a number of successful prosecutions by Langstone Harbour Board.

Anyone using a jet-ski in Langstone Harbour is required to obtain a permit and stick to harbour by-laws including a 10-knot speed limit.

Skiers without formal qualifications will also be told that they will need to enrol in a certified jet ski accreditation course this year, as permits will not be issued without a qualification next season.

Jet skis are obviously easier to police in an enclosed body of water, but their use on the Solent is a different matter.

All personal watercraft operating off the Portsmouth coast, across an area of 55 square miles need to be licensed by the Queen’s Harbour Master.

A 10-knot speed limit aplies to all craft within half a nautical mile of the shore.

There is a designated jet-ski area off Eastney, but many people out for a stroll along Southsea seafront over the weekend will have seen a number of jet-ski users flouting the rules, speeding close to the beach, and, in one case, near an approaching Isle of Wight ferry.

No accidents have been reported but there is a clear danger from irresponsible use of these craft, and concerns over the safety of swimmers, paddleboarders and beach users are fully justified.

Ministers are reportedly drawing up proposals to govern the craft. A hotline to report their misuse would be a good place to start.