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Read about the important science being undertaken at NIWA, and how it affects New Zealanders. 

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Scientists are using centuries-old whalers' data from the southwestern Pacific & Tasman Sea to help better protect threatened whale species.

NIWA today rejected allegations by Hon Rodney Hide that it had misled Cabinet Ministers over its analysis of New Zealand temperatures.

NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa will set sail next week to explore the minerals potential of deep-sea volcanoes of the Kermadec Arc, 200 km north-east of Auckland

When the research vessel Tangaroa goes to a Singaporean shipyard in July, it will carry all its own hull paint from New Zealand.

NIWA's Chief Executive John Morgan, welcomes plans for the aquaculture industry regulatory reform announced by Phil Heatley, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture. Cabinet has agreed to a range of amendments that will help boost the sector's potential to generate sustainable economic growth for the industry in New Zealand.

They are tiny, burrow under the boards of your seaside bach, and make a heck of a lot of noise in the dead of night. They think night-time is the right time for … calling loudly in a raspy voice!

Think you’ve got your favourite surf beach to yourself? Think again! There’s life hidden beneath those waves.

“It may look barren, but the high-energy surf zone of exposed beaches is a very productive place, second only to coastal upwellings,” says Keith Michael, a fisheries scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). “It’s rich in phytoplankton [microscopic plants], such as diatoms, that provide a constant ‘soup’ for animals tough enough to survive the waves.”

Potentially lethal to swimmers, while providing a handy tow for experienced surfers, rips are a hazard on most of New Zealand’s favourite swimming and surfing beaches.

The scientific name for New Zealand’s iconic black-footed pāua captures its shape and iridescent hues perfectly: Haliotis iris means ‘ear-shell rainbow’.

The decorator crabs, or camouflaged crabs, are very different creatures from the paddle crab. They’re slow movers that rely on disguise to evade predators, decorating their shells with whatever flotsam and jetsam comes to claw.

Ever had a crab nip your toe at the beach? The culprit is most likely the paddle crab.

This summer, watch out when snorkelling around the New Zealand coastline, for our very own sea monster: Hippocampus abdominalis, the pot-bellied sea horse.

Harnessing tidal power for electricity generation will be a landmark in broadening New Zealand’s already impressive renewable energy portfolio, a marine energy conference is to be told.

“In the drive to replace non-renewable fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, marine energy is emerging as a viable option in the near-future and a real complement to wind, geothermal and hydro resources,” says NIWA oceanographer, Dr Craig Stevens.

The HIAPER jet recently flew very low over NIWA’s atmospheric climate research station at Lauder. The international mission is taking a slice of the atmosphere, so scientists can learn more about greenhouse gases globally.

New research by NIWA into the risks and health benefits of UV radiation has given scientists a better understanding of the health risks and possible benefits of sun beds.

NIWA is modernising the hardware that several of our online services, such as our tide forecaster, run on. While these changes are being made some of these services may be disrupted. Just sit tight if you have problems, we will post an update when the transition is complete.

A New Zealand great white shark has set a world record for the deepest ever known dive of 1200 metres.

Scientists returned to the Nukumea Stream in Orewa last week, to investigate the trial release of giant kōkopu. This is the first controlled trial in New Zealand to test whether the native fish, giant kōkopu, can be successfully stocked into a stream.

Last week NIWA scientists carried out electric fishing and night time spotlight surveys, in the stream; capturing and measuring the fish and recording the locations that they were found in.

The world’s largest, non-lethal whale research expedition has returned from Antarctic waters with a range of new information that will help inform future marine mammal conservation.

A carnivorous sponge with ‘lip-shaped’ spicules has been identified from the dark depths of the ocean.

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