Bottom trawl gear in New Zealand coastal waters out to 250 m depths contacted about 46 000 km2 of the seafloor annually (2007–08 to 2011–12). The total five year trawl footprint contacted about 48% of the seafloor: about 60% of the seafloor in depths of less than 100 m; 50–58% of the sand, mud, and gravel areas; and 30–64% of the five main BOMEC environmental classes. Available data were inadequate to describe benthic habitats or test sensitivity of benthic organisms to fishing disturbance.

Monitoring of benthic habitats and communities is needed to detect and manage adverse effects of disturbance from fishing and other factors. This report explores options for designing a deep-sea benthic monitoring programme for New Zealand waters. The issue is approached by considering: the usefulness of data presently available; characteristic spatial scales of variability that emerge from these data; which attributes of the benthos are appropriate for monitoring; survey design, and costs.

We analyse the distribution of bottom contact trawling in 89/90 - 10/11 using TCEPR data. Eleven target species, all other species in aggregate and all species combined are analysed. Statistics for the footprint and effort per 5 x 5km cell in relation to depth zones, fishable area, habitat and preferred habitat of each species are provided. The all-species footprint is 387 990km2 (~ 9% of the EEZ & TS) an increase of 2 958 since 09/10, the cumulative area is 3 295 423km2 (24% of EEZ & TS cells).

This study was commissioned to review current levels of marine environmental monitoring, and evaluate the possibility of developing a comprehensive long-term marine environmental monitoring programme for New Zealand’s marine environment (including oceans, coasts and estuaries) from existing sampling programmes.

A protocol is developed for estimating the amount of commercial scallop fishing displacement likely to result from a spatial restriction in the SCA 7 scallop fishery. The cumulative catch loss to date from the SCA 7 fishery due to authorised marine farms is estimated. Sensitivity of estimates to variations in footprint size, catch history period, defined spatial extent of the fishery, and choice of estimator are demonstrated.

Provides annual estimates of bycatch levels of individual fish and invertebrate species in the trawl fisheries for arrow squid, hoki/hake/ling, southern blue whiting, jack mackerel, orange roughy, oreo, scampi, and the longline fishery for ling, based on observed catch rates raised to the total fishery using commercial effort data.

Provides annual estimates of bycatch and discard levels in the ling longline fishery, based on observed catch per hook raised to the total fishery using commercial effort data. Ling made up about 68% of the observed catch; the main bycatch species were spiny dogfish (13%) and ribaldo (3%). Annual bycatch (mostly QMS species) was about 2000–4000 t; annual discards were about 1150–2460 t. Of 116 individual species examined, 14 showed a decreasing trend and 21 species an increasing trend in annual bycatch levels. Trends in bycatch rates of the main bycatch species showed little correlation with trawl survey time series.

Seagrass (Zostera muelleri) areas were sampled for invertebrate/fish assemblages. Northern subtidal meadows were important fish nurseries, especially for snapper and trevally. Influence on invertebrate communities was complex and spatially variable; presence did not always equate to higher invertebrate abundance, richness or secondary production. Significant genetic differentiation indicated limited regional gene flow. A framework is provided to aid ranking seagrass meadows ecological values.

A 2013 workshop Future proofing New Zealand’s shellfish aquaculture: Monitoring and adaptation to ocean acidification, brought together experts from government, the aquaculture industry and science organizations from the US and NZ to raise awareness of ocean acidification within the NZ aquaculture community, identify ways to protect the aquaculture industry and develop US-NZ scientific cooperation to address OA. Papers presented at the workshop and points raised during discussion are summarised.

The process and scientific analyses used to develop the New Zealand VME Evidence Process are summarised and reviewed. Scientific observer data for bottom trawling in the SPRFMO Convention Area over the period 2002–2014 are used to generate updated analyses of numbers and weight distributions of VME taxa caught in the SPRFMO Convention Area.

A field identification guide for observers, fishers, and biologists working on toothfish longline fishing vessels in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. Covers 30 fishes from 11 families including cartilaginous fishes (skates) and bony teleost fishes. Each species page (some are to family only) includes an annotated image with main identifying characters, and notes on colour, size, distribution, depth, similar species, biology, and references.

This report describes the background physical and surface biological conditions at the time of the New Zealand IPY-CAML survey of the Ross Sea (February–March 2008), including distributions of water mass, water quality and sea ice.

Funding from various agencies (NIWA Coasts and Oceans Research Programme, the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), New Zealand/US Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology Cooperation, and MPI), have contributed to the production and publication of a guide on the commonly sampled sea pens in the New Zealand region to support our efforts to improve our knowledge of the region's biodiversity.

Funding from various agencies (NIWA Coasts and Oceans Research Programme, the US Smithsonian Institution, New Zealand/US Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology Cooperation and MPI), have contributed to the production and publication of a guide on the commonly sampled deep sea black corals in the New Zealand region to support our efforts to improve our knowledge of the region's biodiversity.

Biogenic habitats include salt marshes, mangrove and kelp forests, seagrass and algal meadows, bryozoan fields, shellfish beds, and deep-sea corals. Many may provide key fisheries support functions, such as being fish nurseries. We assess what evidence exists for fisheries linkages, as well as for human-driven habitat degradation and loss. New research themes on fisheries-biogenic habitat linkages are suggested, so that habitat considerations can play a more central role in fisheries management.

The Kaipara Harbour supports important fisheries functions both locally and for the wider west coast North Island ecosystem. We explore its past environmental history, through semi-structured interviews of long-time local residents (to the 1930s), and historical material (to the 1800s). Current fish–habitat research is reviewed, including new data; and linked to other research on harbour threats and stressors. Subtidal seagrass meadows are mapped as important fish nurseries.