On 1 July 2025, NIWA merged with GNS Science to become Earth Sciences New Zealand.

Coasts

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

  • Estuaries

    Education Resource
    An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water formed where freshwater from the land meets and mixes with saltwater from the ocean.
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    Summer Series Week 4: Know your shells

    News article
    If you're collecting sea shells at the beach this summer and wondering what they are, NIWA is here to help.
  • Wave action

    Feature story
    New Zealand’s coast is sculpted by ocean waves. Some wave conditions bring joy to surfers and beachgoers, but, at other times, waves can cause major hazards at sea or along the shore.
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    The formation of the Antarctic bottom water

    Blog
  • Critter of the week

    In this blog series, we feature a new critter from our expansive invertebrate collection including pictures of specimens in their unique habitat. The blogs also feature news, links and fun facts that showcase New Zealand’s fascinating marine fauna.
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    Summer Series 10: Super snapper! Delicious!

    News article
  • “Very rare find” of ghost shark hatchling

    Media release
    NIWA scientists have made the rare discovery of a days-old ghost shark during a recent survey off the east coast of the South Island.
  • Estuary origins

    In comparison to the vast span of geological time, the estuaries that we see today are very recent coastal features.
  • Q&A - Bloomin' algae!

    Feature story
    A hot and steamy summer saw Kiwis heading down to rivers and lakes to cool off. But they weren’t the only ones enjoying the warmer weather – algae had a great time too.
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    Inanga

    Inanga are the predominant species in the modern whitebait fishery.
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    Summer Series 8: The science of sand

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    13 Beach types

    Learn about different kinds of beachs and how they form, with diagrams and examples of each type.