22. Subantarctic plateaus and islands
Map ID Number: 22
Location: South of New Zealand land mass
Approximate area: 342,544km2
Description of area:
The subantarctic plateaus and islands have extensive areas of deep continental shelf. In places it is rich in biogenic shell gravel.
Biological attributes:
The area has high algal productivity and biomass with significant endemics. There are rock wall faunas associated with emergent islands, deep canyons, and seamounts.
Criteria applied:
Endemism; trophic/functional diversity.
Status and management:
The Southern Plateau supports commercial fisheries for a considerable number of species, each of which is controlled by the Quota Management System. Fishing is banned within the 4,840km2 of the Auckland Islands Marine Reserve.
State of information:
There are large areas in which the benthos has not been adequately sampled or documented.
References and further reading:
Anderson et al. (1998), Bradford-Grieve et al. (2003), Hay et al. (1985), Nelson (1999b).