Water tourism in Berlin: More controls for more safety!

Water tourism in Berlin: More controls for more safety!

The water sports season in Berlin this year is all about growth and challenges. Water tourism is booming and has increased in turnover from 200 million to an impressive 300 million euros in the last ten years. However, this boom also comes with its downsides, which come to light in the form of reckless driving behavior, noise pollution and environmental damage borkenerzeitung.de reported.

When the weather is nice, especially on weekends and during the holidays, the waters of the Spree, Havel and Dahme are particularly busy. While many boat owners operate regardless of the weather, recreational athletes and party rafters are particularly active when the sun is shining. Sabine Schumann from the water police makes it clear that more controls are necessary to ensure safety on the water. This is also necessary because not all boaters are familiar with traffic rules, which often leads to dangerous situations.

Recklessness and environmental problems

The increase in water use has also led to a variety of legal problems. In 2022, the water police carried out 12,864 checks, recording 848 administrative offenses. The following year, the number of checks was 12,504 and the violations found rose slightly to 857, with a worrying trend in alcohol and drug use behind the wheel. While only 11 violations were recorded in 2022, they rose to 18 in 2023. Complaints about noise pollution are also continually increasing, and many residents feel disturbed by the partying public on rafts and boats.

The effects of water sports are not just limited to driving behavior. The riparian zones suffer from the pressure of intensive boating and canoeing, which results in erosion and a threat to biodiversity. In addition, the number of reed beds has fallen by over 50% since the middle of the 20th century, which is crucial for water quality. Loud rbb24.de Last year, 343 environmental offenses and 15 violations of the Nature Conservation Act were identified.

A look into the future

In order to counteract the growing pressure and at the same time sustainably promote water sports in Berlin, the Senate is planning to expand water tourism. This includes the construction of additional jetties and charging infrastructure for e-boats to further increase the attractiveness of this sector. The concept for promoting water tourism was already decided in autumn 2024, but has been heavily criticized by nature conservation associations because environmental protection and integration within the planning processes are perceived as inadequate.

The water sports season officially extends from April to October, while around 120 water police officers are responsible for safety on Berlin's waterways. Given these challenges, it is even more important that boaters act responsibly and respect the rules governing how the data is collected Water Sports Association Study 2024 clarify.

Overall, it shows that Berlin is confronted with a booming water sports market that brings with it both opportunities and risky challenges.