Stuart Watts, chairman, Aune Conservation Association, Bigbury, writes: I am writing in response to Sam Acourt's extensive article in last week's Gazette about the refusal of permission by Salcombe's Harbour Board to allow waterskiing within the Kingsbridge and Salcombe estuary. In that article, John Horne of the Aune Valley Water Ski Club was reported as saying to the Harbour Board meeting that waterskiers and other water users get on well around the Aune (ie Devon Avon), to which the response of some of those present was: 'Why don't the skiers go there, then?' The answer to that question is that skiing on the Aune is highly regulated by specific South Hams bylaws for safety and environmental reasons; is restricted to the 20 authentic members of the ski club; and there is a waiting list for ­membership. A précis of these bylaws is available on our website at http://auneconservation.org.uk/?page_id=294">http://auneconservation.org.uk/?page_id=294. Effective observation, ­together with collaboration and communication between the members of the ski club and the 330 or so members of the Aune Conservation Association, are the key to our relationship and in helping to make regulation effective. Together we part-fund a patrol boat, operated by the Bantham harbour master, to police the river and uphold the bylaws. The Avon Estuary Forum provides a biannual opportunity to share views and opinions with all concerned parties. Although the ACA's view is that the river would be better off as a 'quiet amenity', we recognise that a regulated ski zone is far superior to the ­anarchic situation that might otherwise prevail. The fundamental reason why these apparently diverse groups of river users get on well is that we all, as a community, treasure the river as a priceless asset and have many shared objectives for improving the physical and ­natural environment of the estuary – for example, by improving water quality, removing debris and rubbish and lessening the estuary's ­siltation problem.