NIWA

Oceans

Recording old oceans centre tag.

Latest news

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

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.

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.

Our work

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.

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.

Effects of ocean acidification on plankton in New Zealand waters

Our oceans are expected to become more acidic as carbon dioxide concentrations rise. This will likely have impacts on the plankton, which play a major role in ocean ecosystems and processes.

White sharks

Where and when do white sharks occur in New Zealand waters, and how can fisheries bycatch be reduced?

Latest videos

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

Echo, Echo: Scanning the Seafloor on R.V. Tangaroa

NIWA ocean geologist Dr Joshu Mountjoy explains how the R.V. Tangaroa's multibeam system is used for bathymetric (seabed) mapping, and some of the benefits which come out of this mapping.

Seabed Frontier: A Brief History of Bathymetry

NIWA marine geologist John Mitchell gives a brief history of bathymetric (seabed) charting, and how it's been carried out over the last few hundred years. (01:18)

Big Fish, Calm Sea - White Shark Tagging off Stewart Island

Tagging White Sharks off Stewart Island, NZ Scientists from DOC, NIWA, and the University of Auckland are building a unique picture of New Zealand's great white shark population.

Antarctic Sea Ice

The sea ice that forms around Antarctica in winter effectively doubles the size of the continent, and its extent has increased over recent years.

The Iron Hypothesis

NIWA biological oceanographer Dr Philip Boyd explains the iron hypothesis: what it is, its history, and some recent experiments in the Southern Ocean.

Southern Ocean Gas Exchange

The Earth's oceans – particularly the Southern Ocean – play an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other trace gases from the atmosphere.

Modelling surface ocean carbon

In order to understand the roles of different processes affecting ocean atmosphere exchange of CO² and DMS it is essential to develop quantitative models for these.

Dynamics of ocean atmosphere exchange

The transfer rate of most gases between the atmosphere and ocean is controlled by processes just beneath the water surface.

Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions

This programme aims to provide better predictions of changes in the ocean and climate system, particularly the way in which the ocean around New Zealand regulates greenhouse gases and clouds.

Our Far South - Rob Murdoch's Blog

Rob Murdoch, our General Manager of Research, is one of the experts on board, and will be sending us daily blog posts/updates on the voyage and its progress.

He is also giving a number of talks around the issues above - the videos accompanying his talks will also be posted online. Please check back often - we will be updating this section of the website regularly during the voyage.

Our Far South voyage sets sail

9 February 2012

Fifty intrepid travellers set off from Bluff tomorrow, onboard the Spirit of Enderby, a Russian ice-strengthened ship, destined for Antarctica and the sub-Antarctica. Organised by Dr Gareth Morgan, the Our Far South voyage aims to raise New Zealanders' awareness of this unique area.

International experts set sail to see how the ocean creates clouds

9 February 2012

Next week, NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa will set sail for the Chatham Rise, for an international study of how microscopic organisms in the surface waters may affect the creation of clouds.

‘Supergiant’ amphipods discovered 7 kilometres deep

3 February 2012

A recent expedition to one of the deepest places on Earth has discovered one of the most enigmatic creatures in the deep sea: the 'supergiant' amphipod.

Iron Fertilisation

Is ocean iron addition part of the solution to climate change? Cliff Law, NIWA explains:

Ikatere virtual tour

Take a virtual tour of our coastal research vessel, Ikatere.

Summer Series 2: Weird and wonderful - Tropical visitors (sea snakes, turtles, mahi mahi)

3 January 2012

When you are at the beach this summer, don't be surprised if you're swimming next to a sea snake with a paddle for a tail, a big-headed-turtle, or a magnificently coloured flat-faced fish. New Zealand's got its share of weird and wonderful marine visitors. Several species of sea snake and turtle regularly reach our waters.

Summer Series 1: Hammerhead - the shark with a hammer for a head

27 December 2011

The shark with the hammer-shaped head (Sphyrna zygaena) is a big eater and is potentially dangerous to humans. It has been found in New Zealand coastal waters, in up to 110 metres of water, and on the continental shelf. It is more commonly seen around the North Island.

Dr Philip Boyd on geoengineering

NIWA's Dr Philip Boyd on geoengineering and the research which won him and a team of scientists from NIWA and Otago University the 2011 Prime Minister's Science Prize.

NIWA climate change scientists honoured in Prime Minister’s top science prizes

16 December 2011

A team of scientists from NIWA and the University of Otago has won the top 2011 Prime Minister's Science Prize for their research into guiding the world's response to climate change.

New Zealand and Australia sign collaborative agreement on marine research and observation

6 December 2011

A historic agreement, aimed at improving country-to-country collaboration on marine research, observations and data management between New Zealand and Australia, has been signed in Canberra this morning.

TAN1116 voyage log - technical updates

Voyage updates from voyage leader Scott Nodder.

In brief: Snapper that stay home, stay safe

Creating marine reserves may affect the behaviour of some fish that live in them, a NIWA study has found.

In brief: Birds of a feather don’t always flock together

They might be the same species, but two discrete populations of Cooks petrels – one from Little Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf, and the other more than 2000km away on Whenua Hou, or Codfish Island – keep their distance genetically.

Fisheries Oceanography II, Chatham Rise (TAN1116) - Voyage Log

NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa was at sea 2-20 November 2011 for the TAN1116 voyage.

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.