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.

Geosciences 2011

28 November 2011 to 3 December 2011

NIWA is sponsoring Geosciences 2011, the Geoscience Society of New Zealand's annual conference.

This year's conference is being held in Nelson and will cover a broad range of geological and geophysical research being undertaken in New Zealand.

For further information see the conference website

New Climate Change Atlas for our massive ocean real estate

3 October 2011

In a world first, NIWA has designed a regional climate change ocean 'atlas' - for our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Craig Stevens on Antarctic Sea Ice

Principal Scientist Craig Stevens talks about what NIWA's sonar equipment can tell us about ocean turbulence, and what's in store for sea ice around Antarctica and the Arctic.

Antarctic Whale Expedition 2010

After a successful six weeks in the Southern Ocean, the Australian led Antarctic whale expedition is due to arrive in Wellington, New Zealand, on 15 March 2010.

Great white sharks - sighted, tagged and tracked

Scientists from DOC, NIWA, and the University of Auckland are building a unique picture of New Zealand's great white shark population.

Kaikoura Canyon Seabed Life

The video represents a number of clips that have been spliced together to illustrate the abundant life associated with the muddy seabed sediments in Kaikoura Canyon at 1000m.

Processes and interactions in the Antarctic atmosphere

The Antarctic atmosphere is physically and chemically unique and influences all latitudes. The goal of this programme is to improve our understanding of the Antarctic atmosphere's role in global change and its response to that change.

Antarctic aquatic ecosystems: summary

Polar ecosystems face physical constraints that set them apart from their warmer counterparts. The greatest constraint is the impact of prolonged periods of winter darkness and sub-zero temperatures.

Antarctic marine ecosystems

All aquatic ecosystems are strongly driven by physical processes, and nowhere is this more true than in Antarctica.

Antarctic marine ecosystems: news

Short articles and related news.

Antarctic marine ecosystems: introduction

All aquatic ecosystems are strongly driven by physical processes, and nowhere is this more true than in Antarctica.

Antarctic marine ecosystems: team

The science team includes plant and animal ecologists with expertise in a range of fields.

Record number of great white sharks tagged in New Zealand waters

7 July 2011

Scientists completed a successful three-week field tagging trip in April 2011, where they tagged a record 27 great white sharks around the Titi (Muttonbird) Islands off the northeast coast of Stewart Island.

“New Zealand urgently needs a National Oceans Strategy” – NIWA Chairman

6 July 2011

NIWA Chairman Chris Mace says New Zealand urgently needs a National Oceans Strategy, to sustainably manage and use its extensive marine resources to boost the economy.

"There is huge untapped potential in our oceans and coastal waters, and the Government has clearly indicated their intention to increase the use of these resources. Under the current global economic environment, I think that is prudent. But without an integrated oceans strategy, our ability to sustainably manage those resources will clearly be compromised."

Photo_Non_geniculate_coralline_algae_Campbell_Island_Cooper.jpg

Non-geniculate coralline algae - Campbell Island (Department of Conservation, S.Cooper)

Mapping our future, for the worlds oceans

3 June 2011

A team of international scientists, led by NIWA Oceanographer Dr Philip Boyd, departs from Auckland on 6 June and sails towards the waters South of New Caledonia this week. They are onboard Research Vessel Tangaroa, for the second leg of the GEOTRACES programme: a ten-year international study of trace elements in the marine environment.

NIWA & The University of Auckland - Migration patterns linked to genetic differences in New Zealand seabirds

1 June 2011

Ground-breaking research by NIWA and The University of Auckland, investigating the annual movements of New Zealand seabirds migrating within the Pacific Ocean, has revealed that populations are genetically distinct, and have been for centuries as a result of their differing migration behavior.