Treasures of the sea

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• Home
• Executive Summary
• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 Methods
• 3.1 The Oceanography of the New Zealand Marine Ecoregion
• 3.2 Cetaceans, seals, and seabirds
  • 1. Subantarctic Islands (and continental shelf areas to 500m depth)
  • 2. Chatham Islands
  • 3. Chatham Rise
  • 4. Stewart Island
  • 5. South Island southern and eastern shelf edge
  • 6. Otago/Catlins Shelf
  • 7. Northeast South Island
  • 8. West coast of South island
  • 9. North coast of South Island
  • 10. Trench zone
  • 11. Coastal shelf and edge of the southeast coast and East Cape of the North Island
  • 12. Hauraki/northeast coast of North Island
  • 13. West coast of North island
  • 14. Three Kings Islands
  • 15. West coast basin
  • 16. Kermadec Islands
  • References and further reading
• 3.3 Fishes
• 3.4 Benthic invertebrates, algae, and plants
• 3.5 Information gaps
• 3.6 Future steps for the future of Biodiversity
• 4.0 Discussion
• 5.0 References
• Appendix 1
• Appendix 2
• Appendix 3
• Appendix 4

5. South Island southern and eastern shelf edge

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Map ID Number: 5

Location: Narrow zone of continental slope and edge from Fiordland to Kaikoura. Also includes the pristine small island group at The Snares (this is generally regarded as part of the subantarctic group of islands but has also been included in this section for its functional connection to these waters).

Approximate area: 42,844km²

• Description of area
• Biological attributes
• Criteria applied
• Status and management
• State of information
• References and further reading

Description of area:

This area is strongly influenced by westerly drift and current in the south and subantarctic current in the east.

Biological attributes:

The shelf edges and slopes along the southern and eastern part of New Zealand’s South Island provide major feeding zones for seabirds. This area serves as a linkage to other major foraging areas to the west and east of the subantarctic. The feeding route is one of the major seabird “motorways” of the world. For some seabirds it is the start and finish of migration paths to the Northern Hemisphere.

The area is part of the foraging range for at least 2 albatross species, one of which is a local breeding endemic (Buller’s albatross), 8 petrel species, 1 endemic penguin species (Snares crested (Eudyptes robustus)) and 3 gull and tern species. There is also 1 gannet species that forms the most southern colonies for that species (Morus serrator). The biomass of small seabirds in this area is one of the highest in the world, especially those based at the Snares Islands where the largest regional colony of sooty shearwaters (Puffi - nus griseus) exists (2.75 million birds).

The area is important for marine mammals, such as New Zealand fur seals and sea lions. Shepherd’s beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi) and some Mesoplodon species are known from this area. This area (Te Wae Wae Bay) is also the ‘home’ to one of the four subpopulations of Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorynchus hectori).

Criteria applied:

Unusual degree/proportion of biomass; trophic/functional diversity (as a foraging area link between the Snares and southern New Zealand for several species); extremities of range (birds); seasonal/migratory importance (birds).

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Status and management:

The Snares, a subantarctic island unmodified by humans, is a World Heritage site. There are no introduced mammals.

State of information:

Bird species from The Snares Islands are well documented. Much distributional and behavioural data has been obtained from satellite tracking of albatrosses, and logger and satellite tracking of shearwaters.

References and further reading:

Miskelly et al. (2001), Pichler (2002), Stahl and Sagar (2000a, 2000b)