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

14. Three Kings Islands

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Map ID Number: 14

Location: Offshore islands 25 nautical miles north of North Cape consisting of 3 main island groups and surrounding oceans

Approximate area: 12,479km²

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

Description of area:

Environment influenced by cold water upwelling in a subtropical/warm temperature area.

Biological attributes:

The Three Kings Islands represent the limits of the range of several species. They are the most northern haul-out for the New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri), the most northern breeding ground in the Exclusive Economic Zone for Australasian gannets (Morus serrator), and the extremity of range for fluttering shearwater. The islands are the most northern breeding locality for Pacific albatross (Thalassarche platei), 3 petrel species, and fl uttering shearwaters (Puffinus gavia).

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Criteria applied:

Extremities of range and adaptation to environment.

 

Status and management:

The land areas of the islands are in their natural state, with no mammals present. They are relatively undisturbed, although humans and goats historically occupied the islands.

 

State of information:

Information for this area is good, particularly with regard to accurate species and oceanographic information.

References and further reading:

Buddle (1949), Ramsay and Watt (1971), Wright (1984).