Oceans

Recording old oceans centre tag.

Latest news

Seabirds spend nearly 40% of their time on high seas, study finds

4 March 2021

A global effort by seabird researchers, including those from NIWA, has resulted in the first assessment of where the world’s most threatened seabirds spend their time.

Queen of the critters

Feature story

11 February 2021

Sadie Mills has come a long way from scaring the inhabitants of Scottish rock pools. Sarah Fraser explains.

Norse goddess reveals seabed secrets

Feature story

11 February 2021

A large, orange Scandinavian robot gives NIWA’s marine geologists an in-depth look at changes to the seafloor off Kaikōura.

A job for the buoys

Feature story

11 February 2021

New Zealanders and Pacific Island communities are on their way to having the most advanced tsunami monitoring system in the world.

Our work

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.

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.

Latest videos

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

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

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.

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:

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

Antarctica

NIWA scientists have worked for many years on Antarctic atmospheric processes and aquatic ecosystems.

EcoConnect Rena Feed

By using this site and the EcoConnect forecasts, you have read and agreed to the terms and conditions.

Weather - 2 Day Forecast

Ocean - 2 Day Forecast

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

All staff working on this subject

Dr Tara Anderson

Marine Ecologist

Email Dr Tara Anderson

Dr Philip Barnes

Principal Scientist - Marine Geology

Email Dr Philip Barnes

Dr Jaret Bilewitch

Molecular Biologist

Email Dr Jaret Bilewitch

Dr Stacy Deppeler

Marine Biogeochemistry Technician

Email Dr Stacy Deppeler

Dr Pablo Escobar-Flores

Fisheries Scientist

Email Dr Pablo Escobar-Flores

Dr Denise Fernandez

Physical Oceanographer

Email Dr Denise Fernandez

Dr Giacomo Giorli

Marine Mammal Acoustician

Email Dr Giacomo Giorli

Dr Richard Gorman

Coastal and Estuarine Physical Processes Scientist

Email Dr Richard Gorman

Dr Rachel Hale

Marine Ecologist

Email Dr Rachel Hale

Dr Yoann Ladroit

Fisheries Acoustics Scientist

Email Dr Yoann Ladroit

Dr Carolyn Lundquist

Principal Scientist - Marine Ecology

Email Dr Carolyn Lundquist

Dr Helen Macdonald

Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) Numerical Modeller

Email Dr Helen Macdonald

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

Email Dr Helen Neil

Dr Scott Nodder

Principal Scientist - Marine Geology

Email Dr Scott Nodder

Dr Richard O'Driscoll

Chief Scientist - Fisheries

Email Dr Richard O'Driscoll

Dr Alan Orpin

Marine Geologist

Email Dr Alan Orpin

Dr Rachael Peart

Marine Invertebrate Systematist

Email Dr Rachael Peart

Dr Christo Rautenbach

Coastal and Estuarine Physical Processes Scientist

Email Dr Christo Rautenbach

Dr Graham Rickard

Marine Physics Modeller

Email Dr Graham Rickard

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

Dr Philip Sutton

Physical Oceanographer

Email Dr Philip Sutton

Dr Leigh Tait

Marine Ecologist

Email Dr Leigh Tait

Antonia Cristi

PhD Student

Email Antonia Cristi

Eimear Egan

Freshwater Fish Ecologist

Email Eimear Egan

Arne Pallentin

Principal Technician - Marine Geology

Email Arne Pallentin

Oceans

Latest news

Our work

Latest videos

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.

Weather - 2 Day Forecast

Ocean - 2 Day Forecast

Pages

All staff working on this subject