Oceans

Recording old oceans centre tag.

Latest news

Tonga eruption discoveries defy expectations

Media Release
23 May 2022
New findings from the record-breaking Tongan volcanic eruption are “surprising and unexpected”, say scientists from New Zealand’s National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

Guide explores the benefits of combating marine biofouling

10 May 2022
NIWA is contributing to an international effort to help developing countries reduce the impact of biofouling on aquatic-based industries and environments.

NIWA-Nippon Foundation Tonga Eruption Seabed Mapping Project a “rare opportunity” to study effects of Tonga eruption

Media Release
1 April 2022
NIWA and The Nippon Foundation are undertaking a mission to discover the undersea impacts of the recent Tongan volcanic eruption.

Mean heat: Marine heatwaves to get longer and hotter by 2100

Media Release
7 March 2022
New research from the Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate and NIWA shows that New Zealand could experience very long and “very severe” marine heatwaves by the end of the century.
 

Our work

Sea2Cloud – how marine aerosols influence the atmosphere and climate

Clouds over the ocean, and how they trap or emit radiation from the sun, are partly influenced by the biology, biogeochemistry and physics of the surface ocean below.

Marine food webs

We need information on the food web structures of our marine ecosystems in order to manage the effects on the ecosystem of fishing, aquaculture and mining, as well as understanding the potential impacts of climate variability and change on our oceans. 

New Zealand Ocean Acidification Observing Network (NZOA-ON)

Ocean acidification conditions around the New Zealand coast are being measured to establish baseline conditions and to quantify future change.

Plankton biodiversity in the Southern Ocean

NIWA is conducting a five–year study to map changes in the distribution of plankton species in surface waters between New Zealand and the Ross Sea.
 

Latest videos

Dive into the alien world of plankton in the Ross Sea

Plankton in the Ross Sea

Plankton are the base of the oceans food web and are vital to our survival. But as our world changes will they be able to continue to play this essential role? Join us as we follow a group of NIWA scientists investigating various aspects of this question in the ocean around Antarctica.

Antarctic science onboard NIWA’s RV Tangaroa

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's Sarah Searson and Jennie Mowatt

NIWA's Sarah Searson and Jennie Mowatt

If you want to get accurate scientific readings from the icy depths of the Ross Sea, who do you turn to?
Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification - What does it mean for Shellfish?

This video has been produced to highlight ocean acidification as a potential issue affecting the NZ shellfish aquaculture industry
 

Making Waves - Sep 2020

Welcome to the September edition of Making Waves. As always, our commitment is to deliver quality science for the benefit of New Zealand.

Tsunami evacuation zones home to 1 in 10 New Zealanders

Media Release
19 August 2020
NIWA scientists have completed the first national assessment of people and buildings at risk in New Zealand’s tsunami evacuation zones.

Researchers on hunt for fish nurseries

Media Release
7 August 2020
NIWA researchers are heading out from Tasman early next week to survey an area thought to be home to important juvenile fish nurseries.

Squat lobster memoir hot off the press

Media Release
6 August 2020
After a decade-long effort, NIWA’s latest Biodiversity Memoir has just rolled off the presses. Written by marine biologist Kareen Schnabel, the 350-page treatise presents everything we currently know about the different kinds of squat lobster living in New Zealand’s waters.

Nameless nodes get new look from NIWA

Media Release
29 July 2020
At the bottom of the Southern Ocean, near Cape Adare in East Antarctica, lies an undersea ridge which until this month was only known by its co-ordinates: -71.2132 latitude, 172.1649 longitude.

Tracking our ocean wanderers

Feature story
28 July 2020
Albatrosses may be masters of the skies, but they are surprisingly vulnerable on the water. Campbell Gardiner talks to two scientists working to keep these magnificent seabirds airborne.

A cold day in the office

Feature story
28 July 2020
Five specialist NIWA divers were left ‘gasping’ during their recent plunge under the ice near Scott Base.

Concepts in sustainable aquaculture - IMTA

Media Release
23 July 2020
New ways to address environmental sustainability challenges.

NIWA crew face record time at sea

Media Release
21 July 2020
Coronavirus border restrictions mean six NIWA staff face four straight months at sea in a bid to keep an international ocean research project afloat.

NIWA mapping seafloor around Whakaari/White Island

Media Release
16 July 2020
NIWA scientists are heading to the waters around Whakaari/White Island in the Bay of Plenty next week to survey changes to the seafloor.

New ocean data from under the world’s biggest ice shelf

Media Release
30 June 2020
New measurements from the ocean under the centre of the Ross Ice Shelf have significantly improved our understanding of the complex processes that drive melting in Antarctica.

May 27, 2020 - Working in uncharted territory

Diana Macpherson, benthic data and specimens specialist, talks about what working onboard Tangaroa is really all about.

Making Waves - June 2020

NIWA is currently working closely with stakeholders to ensure that our research and advice are applied to maximum effect to assist with the recovery after COVID-19.

Tangaroa heads back to sea – with social distancing

Media Release
13 May 2020
NIWA’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa will sail out of Wellington Harbour on Sunday for the first scientific voyage since the lockdown.

Extremely rare albino shark discovered in Auckland

Media Release
22 April 2020
A deep dive into the collection of an Auckland War Memorial Museum has revealed an extremely rare albino shark.

Small sea-level rises to drive more intense flooding, say scientists

Media Release
14 April 2020
A little can mean a lot – especially when it comes to the relationship between sea level rise and coastal flooding.

Giant squid and glow-in-the-dark sharks surprise scientists

Media Release
17 February 2020
A giant squid and several glow-in-the-dark sharks were surprise finds for NIWA scientists last month on the Chatham Rise during a voyage to survey hoki, New Zealand’s most valuable commercial fish species.

Climate change and the oceans

Helping you understand the science of climate change. The things we can do to combat climate change, individually, and alongside our whānau, school and community, can and will make a difference.

Scientist pieces together details of underwater landslides

Media Release
28 November 2019
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.

Planning an ocean observation network

Media Release
3 October 2019
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
10 September 2019
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.

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All staff working on this subject

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Dr Teresa A'mar

Fisheries Modeller
Email Dr Teresa A'mar
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Dr Philip Barnes

Principal Scientist - Marine Geology
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Dr Jaret Bilewitch

Molecular Biologist
Email Dr Jaret Bilewitch
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Dr Stacy Deppeler

Marine Biogeochemistry Technician
Email Dr Stacy Deppeler

Dr Pablo Escobar-Flores

Fisheries Scientist
Email Dr Pablo Escobar-Flores
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Dr Denise Fernandez

Physical Oceanographer
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Dr Rachel Hale

Marine Ecologist
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Dr Carolyn Lundquist

Principal Scientist - Marine Ecology
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Dr Helen Macdonald

Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) Numerical Modeller
Email Dr Helen Macdonald
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Dr Katie Maier

Marine Sedimentologist
Email Dr Katie Maier

Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

Principal Scientist - Carbon Chemistry and Modelling
Email Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

Dr Helen Neil

General Manager - Operations
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Dr Scott Nodder

Principal Scientist - Marine Geology
Email Dr Scott Nodder

Dr Richard O'Driscoll

Chief Scientist - Fisheries
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Dr Alan Orpin

Marine Geologist
Email Dr Alan Orpin
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Dr Rachael Peart

Marine Invertebrate Systematist
Email Dr Rachael Peart

Dr Christo Rautenbach

Coastal and Estuarine Physical Processes Scientist
Email Dr Christo Rautenbach
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Dr Graham Rickard

Marine Physics Modeller
Email Dr Graham Rickard
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Dr Natalie Robinson

Marine Physicist
Email Dr Natalie Robinson

Dr Ashley Rowden

Principal Scientist - Marine Ecology
Email Dr Ashley Rowden

Dr Kareen Schnabel

Marine Biologist
Email Dr Kareen Schnabel

Dr Craig Stevens

Principal Scientist - Marine Physics
Email Dr Craig Stevens
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Dr Philip Sutton

Physical Oceanographer
Email Dr Philip Sutton
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Dr Leigh Tait

Marine Ecologist
Email Dr Leigh Tait
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Dr Chen Wang

Data Scientist
Email Dr Chen Wang

Dr Sally Watson

Marine Geophysicist
Email Dr Sally Watson

Dr Shaun Williams

Hazard Analyst
Email Dr Shaun Williams
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Dr Zhonghou Xu

Coastal Modeller
Email Dr Zhonghou Xu

Antonia Cristi

PhD Student
Email Antonia Cristi

Eimear Egan

Freshwater Fish Ecologist
Email Eimear Egan
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