Ocean Census – Bounty Trough research voyage

A team of scientists spent 21 days investigating the unexplored Bounty Trough

Ocean Census – Bounty Trough research voyage

Led by Ocean Census, NIWA and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, a team of scientists spent 21 days investigating the unexplored Bounty Trough ocean system off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

The expedition focused on the benthic (bottom-living) biodiversity of the Bounty Trough system, one of the major canyon-channel systems in New Zealand.The voyage starts around the continental slope and canyons off the Otago coast, before heading down the 800km long Bounty Channel (at depths of 1500–4800m) towards the Bounty Fan and ultimately the Southwest pacific abyssal plain.

Learn more on the Ocean Census website.

Secrets of New Zealand's unexplored Bounty Trough

Storymap: Secrets of Aotearoa's Bounty Trough

Ocean Census Bounty Trough: voyage report of the TAN2402 survey (May 2024)

  • The thing

    Clever sleuthing unmasks mystery ocean creature

    Media release
    A mystery specimen has been identified as a species never documented in New Zealand waters.
  • New ocean species discovered in Bounty Trough

    Media release
    Scientists on an expedition to the underexplored Bounty Trough off New Zealand have discovered around 100 new and potentially new ocean species.
  • Expedition to uncover secrets of New Zealand's unexplored Bounty Trough

    Media release
    An expedition to discover new species in one of the most remote parts of the deep ocean is departing from Wellington today. 
  • Bounty Trough - voyage update #1

    NIWA Voyage Leader, Sadie Mills on the first three days of The Ocean Census – Bounty Trough research voyage - a 21-day expedition to discover new species
  • Bounty Trough - voyage update #2

    Greetings from the Bounty Trough!
  • Bounty Trough - voyage update #3

    The third and final update from Voyage leader, Sadie Mills on the 21-day Ocean Census – Bounty Trough research voyage.