EDS lodged its submissions on the Aquaculture Technical Advisory Group's report yesterday. The submissions set out a range of concerns that EDS has with the recommendations contained in the report.

Environment Canterbury is to proceed with a proposed temporary by-law for Lake Ruataniwha near Twizel. The new set of navigation safety regulations will be trialled on the lake over the summer period beginning on Saturday, December 12, 2009.

Auckland City Council has adopted a new standard for lockable spa pool covers so that owners have the option of not fencing off their spa pools and can avoid having to apply for an individual exemption to fencing rules.

Environment Canterbury has begun weekly water quality monitoring at 54 freshwater (rivers and lakes) and 46 coastal popular swimming spots from Kaikoura to the Waitaki catchment. The results are updated weekly on the Environment Canterbury website (www.ecan.govt.nz/swimming).

As Cantabrians' thoughts turn to summers spent cooling off in local rivers and lakes, Environment Canterbury has started its annual programme of water testing at popular swimming and boating spots.

Auckland's newest, and coolest, day-care centre has opened at Kelly Tarlton's. This crche isn't a time-out spot for younger visitors - it has been created especially for this seasons Gentoo penguin chicks and is designed to replicate the way they are raised in the wild.

The AC Baths' Aquatic Programmes Team won the inaugural New Zealand Water Safety Awareness Award for its Swim for Life and Lake Taupo Water Safety programmes.

Sports codes should consider the needs of migrants if they want to attract players and supporters, says a new report by sociologist Professor Paul Spoonley.

The Department of Conservation today announced outcomes of a review of dusky dolphin watching off the Kaikoura coast that it says will better align tourism activity with the dolphins' natural behaviour.

A "masterpiece" of a new home in Auckland's eastern suburbs and an innovative aquatic centre in Queenstown have taken out the supreme awards at the Registered Master Builders 2009 House of the Year and RMB Commercial Project Awards, in association with PlaceMakers.