Coasts

NIWA aims to provide the knowledge needed for the sound environmental management of our marine resources.

  • Epic spiny red rock lobster

    Feature story
    Sam Fraser-Baxter heads to the Wairarapa for one of New Zealand’s longest-running marine surveys – counting baby lobster.
  • Scientist pieces together details of underwater landslides

    Media release
    New information about landslides that occur on the seafloor off New Zealand’s east coast will help scientists better understand why and where they happen, and the types of threats they pose.
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    ‘Blooming heck’ - Microalgae feature in latest biodiversity memoir

    Feature story
    A group of microscopic algae that form vast aquamarine blooms off the east coast is the subject of NIWA’s latest Biodiversity Memoir
  • Leopard seal Owha injured in Auckland Harbour

    Media release
    Researchers are keeping a close eye on Owha, the leopard seal that has made Auckland Harbour her home, after she was seen bleeding from her face on Saturday morning.
  • Planning an ocean observation network

    Media release
    New Zealand’s changing ocean environment has prompted the call to develop a system that will keep closer tabs on information from scientific monitoring buoys so the data they produce can be shared as widely as possible.
  • Methane seep research bubbling along

    Media release
    A chance discovery off the Gisborne coast five years ago is prompting a NIWA scientist to find out more about the link between a field of methane seeps bubbling out of the sea floor and submarine landslides.
  • New reports highlight flood risk under climate change

    Media release
    Two reports released today by NIWA and the Deep South National Science Challenge reveal new information about how many New Zealanders, how many buildings and how much infrastructure could be affected by extreme river and coastal flooding from storms and sea-level rise.
  • Eyeless worm a window into our diverse ocean

    Media release
    A worm that feeds on bacteria and has no eyes is one of the standout stars of almost 600 unfamiliar and potentially new ocean species identified at NIWA in the past year.
  • Suspended sediment dynamics in New Zealand Rivers

    Research Project
    Impacts of catchment characteristics on the timing of sediment delivery during runoff events.
  • Braided river morphodynamics and invasive exotic vegetation

    Research Project
    Braided rivers are an arena where woody weeds and floods are in constant competition with each other.
    Braided rivers naturally flood frequently, repeatedly mobilising their bed sediments and shifting their multiple channels.
  • Owha and her friends awarded citizenship

    Media release
    New Zealand’s newest citizens like the solitary life, have leopard-like markings, and can each weigh up to 600kg.
  • Robotic vehicle on the lookout for biosecurity pests

    Foreign marine pests can threaten our marine life and it’s important to find them early before they can set up home here.