Beachgoers are being urged to use commonsense around the water and when fishing from rocks this winter.
The renewed safety call comes as volunteer surf lifesaving patrols finish for the season.
Surf Lifesaving New Zealand's business manager John O'Connell says Easter weekend is traditionally the last busy weekend before winter and marks the end of the volunteer lifeguards' patrol season.
Mr O'Connell says 1470 rescues were carried out during summer, with an increased number of incidents involving people fishing from rocks.
He says volunteer patrols will start again at Labour weekend in October and people need to be careful around any water this winter.
