Oceans

NIWA aims to provide the knowledge needed for the sound environmental management of our marine resources.

  • Critter of the Week: The flowering seapen

    Anthoptilum grandiflorum (Verrill, 1879) is a species of Pennatulacea, or sea pen, in the octocoral group of Cnidaria. Octocorals are so named because they have 8 tentacles to each of their polyps.
  • Penguins reveal unknown swimming talents

    Media release
    The remarkable long distance swimming abilities of penguins have impressed NIWA scientists who have tracked almost 100 birds over winter in the Southern Ocean.
  • The decline of New Zealand’s sea lions

    Research Project
    The main breeding population of New Zealand sea lions at the Auckland Islands has halved in size since the late-1990s; NIWA scientists are working with the government and experts from around New Zealand and overseas to understand why.
  • Critter of the Week: The prickly king crab

    The prickly king crab, Paralomis zealandica, is a member of the family Lithodidae, a mainly deepwater crustacean group that is probably better known by many people for its tasty leg meat.
  • Spatial management of the Ross Sea

    The fishery is managed differently depending on the region and specific environmental protection and fishery management objectives in the region.
  • Ecosystem effects of fishing

    Find out about the role of toothfish in the ecosystem and the potential effects of fishing.
  • Scientists to record marine mammals for first time in New Zealand

    Media release
    The sounds made by whales and dolphins as they pass through New Zealand’s Cook Strait are to be recorded for the first time through a research project being undertaken by a NIWA scientist.
  • Critter of the Week: Allostichaster insignis

    Like other members of the family Asteriidae, Allostichaster is fissiparous.
  • Critter of the Week: The occlupanid – a member of the phylum Plasticae

    As we have mentioned many times, new species can be found literally at our door step. But who has found a new species in their pantry?
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    NIWA completes first bathymetric mapping of Lake Tekapo

    Media release
    NIWA researchers have spent part of the last month keeping a close eye on the bottom of Lake Tekapo to find out what it looks like and what is going on below the lake bed.
  • New Zealand sea lion mystery

    The main breeding population of NZ sea lions at the Auckland Islands has declined by approximately 50% since the late 1990s.
  • CARIM (Coastal Acidification: Rate, Impacts & Management)

    Research Project
    A NIWA-led project to tackle coastal acidification in New Zealand.