Oceans

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

  • Critter of the Week: The occlupanid – a member of the phylum Plasticae

    As we have mentioned many times, new species can be found literally at our door step. But who has found a new species in their pantry?
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    NIWA completes first bathymetric mapping of Lake Tekapo

    Media release
    NIWA researchers have spent part of the last month keeping a close eye on the bottom of Lake Tekapo to find out what it looks like and what is going on below the lake bed.
  • New Zealand sea lion mystery

    The main breeding population of NZ sea lions at the Auckland Islands has declined by approximately 50% since the late 1990s.
  • CARIM (Coastal Acidification: Rate, Impacts & Management)

    Research Project
    A NIWA-led project to tackle coastal acidification in New Zealand.
  • Ross Sea fish surveys

    Research Project
    We don’t clearly understand the ecological effects of commerical toothfish fishing in the Ross Sea region. To improve our knowledge, we conducted a survey of demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish species on the Ross Sea slope - particularly grenadiers and icefish - during the 2015 Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage.
  • Critter of the Week: Enteroctopus zealandicus – the elusive yellow octopus

    The yellow octopus is large and clearly abundant, with about one million being eaten a year by sea lions in the Auckland Islands alone
  • The search for yellow octopus

    News article
    One of the ocean’s most elusive critters is about to meet its match as NIWA scientists voyage south hoping to film them in action – and bring a few samples home.
  • Meeting the challenge of ocean acidification

    Feature story
    New Zealand’s answer to ocean acidification is a model of the ‘best team’ approach – when organisations pool talent and resources to find solutions to national, or global, issues.]
  • Summer Series Week 2: Sharks of summer

    News article
    Everyone knows they’re out there, but how well do you know your sharks? NIWA looks at four of the most common sharks you’re likely to spot this summer.
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    Voyage to discover secrets of marine food web

    News article
    Scientists are beginning a voyage to the middle of the marine food web today to find out more about one of the most complex networks on the planet.
  • Southwestern Pacific Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) Node

    The Southwestern Pacific OBIS Node site is a gateway to marine biodiversity data from Antarctica to as far north as Fiji.
  • Coastal Crabs

    An interactive guide to the common coastal crabs of New Zealand.