Chief Minister Michael Gunner has labelled the NT's water safety record "the worst in the country" while defending a move to bring the drink-driving limit for boat skippers into line with road users.

Key points: The Government will restrict boat skippers to a blood alcohol limit of 0.05, the same as for road users

The Government will restrict boat skippers to a blood alcohol limit of 0.05, the same as for road users The NT is currently the only jurisdiction without an alcohol limit for skippers

The NT is currently the only jurisdiction without an alcohol limit for skippers The fishing community has questioned the evidence behind the move

However, this reform was based on a review that stated there was no data that specifically looked into drinking alcohol on boats in the Northern Territory.

As part of its response to this sweeping review of alcohol policy, the NT Government confirmed it would restrict boat skippers to a blood alcohol limit of 0.05.

The NT is currently the only Australian jurisdiction without a drinking limit for skippers.

Speaking from the United States on Wednesday, Mr Gunner said the reform was about trying to create a safer Territory.

"Royal Life Saving have actually shown that we have got the worst water safety rates in the country around this and obviously there's plenty of research and evidence that shows if you have a 0.05 [blood alcohol reading] you aren't safe behind the wheel or behind the tiller," Mr Gunner said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the Northern Territory had "the worst water safety rates in the country" and said this evidence came from Royal Life Saving. ( ABC News: James Purtill )

Royal Life Saving Northern Territory executive director Floss Roberts confirmed the NT consistently had the highest drowning rate per capita in the country.

In the past 15 years she said there had been at least 10 deaths related to powered boats in the Territory and that in, 40 per cent of those cases involved alcohol.

She said the group welcomed the reform, describing it as "long overdue".

A study published by the journal of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine last year found alcohol had been recorded in 52 per cent of all 95 water-related deaths in the Northern Territory between 2005-2014.

But this included deaths caused by drownings, diving and falling as well as "watercraft events".

Reform 'lacks transparent policy process'

However, Amateur Fishing Association of the Northern Territory executive officer David Ciaravolo said he was not aware of a study that considered this specific reform.

He also believed it was "inappropriate" to impose restrictions on his community as part of a wider push to curb alcohol abuse and problem drinking.

"I think a lot people do hold their freedoms dear to them in the Northern Territory. That is a big part of the Territory way of life," Mr Ciaravolo said.

"But we also know that people look out for one another and people also want to come home safely with their family and friends after a day on the water.

"So people are happy to engage with this issue, but they are not happy to be told that it is in response to alcohol-fuelled violence and crime, and for it to be presented without any evidence or without a transparent and coherent policy process underpinning it."

'No good reason' to allow drink driving

Despite the data concerning drownings, The Riley Review into alcohol policy, led by former NT Supreme Court chief justice Trevor Riley, acknowledged it was not aware of any data about the risks of alcohol consumption on vessels.

But it also said alcohol was undoubtedly consumed on boats, at times to levels where the skipper would be under the influence, and that this would create dangerous situations.

"In our view there is no good reason why the operation of vessels by people who have been consuming alcohol should not be regulated in much the same way as vehicles under the Traffic Act," the report concluded.

The Territory Government's support for the regulation divided ABC Darwin's Facebook audience. ( 7pm TV News NT )

Territory becoming a 'nanny state'

The Territory Government's support for the regulation divided ABC Darwin's Facebook audience.

Some were shocked that a maximum blood alcohol limit for boat skippers did not already exist under NT legislation.

Yet others said the Territory was becoming a "nanny state" and believed the move encroached on one of the freedoms that made living in the Territory unique.

"Nooooo! More red tape. There will always be an idiot around, law or no law. It is absolutely unwarranted," Jownaa Alby said.

"There shouldn't be any alcohol limits, but we aren't responsible enough to not drink and drive. So yes, sadly boaties should have the same limits," Rod Shepherd said.

"Not going to bother me but I see it as a waste of funding and resources to police it," Eddie Barrett said.

"Wow axe open speed limits, stop Dan Murphys (illegally), push alcohol prices through the roof, wages starting to drop below other states and now this. What a nanny state (yes I know we not a state)," Gary Heath said.