Marine protected areas

NIWA leads research and monitoring in Antarctica to understand the conservation value of the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area

  • Identification of significant ecological areas for the Otago coastal marine area

    News article
    Long-term protection of Otago’s coastal habitats took a step closer to reality after more than 100 marine Significant Ecological Areas were identified.
  • Online atlas provides understanding of marine life and habitats

    Media release
    Researchers have developed New Zealand’s most comprehensive online atlas, providing an overview of nearly 600 marine species.
  • Record low sea ice levels mixed bag for Antarctic voyage

    Media release
    Scientists from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) have returned from a six-week voyage to Antarctica.
  • Studying a fragile and alien icy world

    Feature story
    NIWA scientists are doing what no others have done before. In a mysterious world just below the Antarctic ice, a delicate web of ice crystals forms a habitat that’s unique and largely unknown. Until now…
  • Marine reserves join ocean acidification network

    Media release
    A joint NIWA and Department of Conservation (DOC) project is extending New Zealand’s ocean acidification monitoring network to include marine reserves.
  • Eavesdropping on sperm whales in Antarctica

    The moorings team is bringing back precious data from long-term underwater listening devices which the researchers are using to search for signs that sperm whales are finally returning in numbers to the Ross Sea.
  • Examining biodiversity and ocean dynamics in the world’s largest marine protected area

    Researchers are working their way through a wealth of new Antarctic marine data after RV Tangaroa successfully completed its five week scientific voyage to the Ross Sea.
  • NIWA heads to Antarctica for critical climate, ocean research

    Media release
    NIWA’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa leaves soon on a six-week voyage to Antarctica, making it one of the few full scientific expeditions to the continent since the global outbreak of COVID-19.
  • Scientists return from Antarctic voyage

    Media release
    After travelling almost 12,000km in the past six weeks, a group of scientists returns to Wellington at the weekend with new knowledge about life in the Ross Sea of Antarctica.
  • Voyage Update 5: sampling rattails and exploring vulnerable coral habitats in the MPA

    3 February 2019. By Voyage Leader Dr Richard O'Driscoll.
  • Voyage Update 4: Toothfish habitat in and out of the MPA

    29 January 2019. By Voyage Leader Dr Richard O'Driscoll.
  • Voyage update 2: Cape Adare

    17 January 2019. By Voyage Leader Dr Richard O'Driscoll.