Marine

Dolphin advocates want to see more action to protect Hector’s dolphins after a Department of Conservation report noted the deaths of a mother and calf killed by a trawl net.

The first stage of the $20m Queenstown Marina will officially open this week, offering 85 berths for use complemented by 17 floating buildings.

Queenstown Lakes District Council is installing more signage and observing how people use ski lanes to protect boat users and swimmers around waterways this summer.

Cruise ships appear to have affected the distribution of Hector’s dolphins at the popular destination.

Coastal habitats, biodiversity, infrastructure and communities are at increased risk of climate-related changes associated with rising sea levels, according to a new report.

The government is introducing tougher fishing measures to protect the vulnerable South Island Hector’s dolphins.

A grand masterplan is on the cards to turn Nelson Marina into a haven for boaties and the community alike, says Nelson City Council.

Climate change could have a major impact on New Zealand’s marine mammals, with food supply identified as the biggest threat in a new report by the Department of Conservation.

Auckland Council is calling for potential suppliers interested in providing an economic valuation of the Hauraki Gulf as a natural capital asset.

A Hector’s dolphin has been spotted off the coastline around Northland and Auckland and the Department of Conservation is urging people in the area to report any sightings.

A new marine reserve monitoring system and a network of rangers will make up the government’s new Marine Monitoring and Reporting framework.

Maritime New Zealand and the New Zealand Commercial Jet Boating Association have unveiled new guidance to promote common standards for jet boat maintenance and improve safety on and off the water.

A proposal to change recreational fishing rules around the Fiordland Marine Area could include daily limits on many fish species, temporary closure of fisheries, and a change to boundary lines where activities can take place.

The effects of climate change on ocean temperatures could force great whales to disappear from New Zealand’s waters.

A “beneficiary pays” approach to tourism could support local communities and conservation efforts.

Tohorā southern right whales are taking longer to re-establish a habitat in mainland waters, scientists at the University of Auckland have found.

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash has cut the ribbon for the renovated Whakatāne wharf and broken ground on work to construct the new Commercial Boat Harbour.

The draft National Plan of Action Sharks 2022 focuses on conservation, management, and sustainability of sharks caught in New Zealand waters.

Visitors and residents around the Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel are being asked to keep an eye for kekeno or New Zealand fur seals overthe next three months.

Keen whale and dolphin watchers will be keeping a close eye on the ocean this weekend as part of Cetacean Spotting’s third nationwide citizen scientist cetacean survey.

Nelson City Council has set out a 15-year plan for a marina transformation that it says will help grow the local economy.

Work is underway to provide real-time guidance on channel conditions through the Kura te Au/Tory Channel that links the North and South Islands.

The Department of Conservation has reported the 15th dead Hector’s dolphin around the South Island since November last year.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) has conducted a survey of the Kaikōura Canyon to help the Department of Conservation understand more about marine life inside and outside Hikurangi Marine Reserve.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has welcomed the introduction of two fully electric ferries to the city’s public transport system from 2024, but he would like to add at least six additional ferries to the fleet.

Auckland will have two fully-electric ferries transporting visitors and commuters around the harbour in 2024

Donor rewards include trips with South Pacific Helicopters, Whale Watch Kaikōura, as well as luxury accommodation at Hapuku Lodge and Treehouses.

Maritime New Zealand is encouraging boaties to be aware of the risks when they are out on the water, and consider courses to manage potentially dangerous situations.

The addition follows the launch of its Tikapa Moana Whale & Dolphin Wildlife Cruise and Explore Motutapu products.

The Department of Conservation will review public submissions on the proposed marine reserve at Hākaimangō – Matiatia on Waiheke Island.

A dead Hector’s dolphin has been discovered on Christchurch’s New Brighton Beach last Saturday.

So much to see and do in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, from DOC.

The 2,350-hectare marine reserve would span The Department of Conservation is seeking feedback on a proposal to establish a 2350-hectare marine reserve covering Hākaimangō Point to Matiatia Bay.

The Kōpū business and marine precinct has been granted consent to build a commercial working wharf and recreational boat ramp at a cost of $8.2m.

The Whale Tales 2022 public art trail has launched in Auckland both in public spaces and as a virtual, interactive trail.

Pure Salt NZ has applied for a permit to operate commercial marine mammal viewing at Fiordland, Foveaux Strait, and Stewart Island.

The Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta will still go ahead as planned despite a flurry of event cancellations across the country after New Zealand moved into a red alert setting.

The surge of waves that hit Northland on Saturday night has affected the berths of around 40 boats at the Tutukaka marina but one tourism operator managed to escape direct damage.

The southern hemisphere’s first fully electric, high speed commuter ferry launches today in Wellington.

Only 11% of New Zealand’s marine ecotourism operators saw an increase in revenue in the year to May 2021, according to a new report from the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge.

Waikato Regional Council is urging boaties to be vigilant, with visitor numbers expected to spike this summer.

Fullers360 says it has invested more than $1m in a new plug-in electric hybrid ferry that will launch in 2023.

A new calf has been born in the bottlenose dolphin pod that frequents the Bay of Islands, just ahead of the implementation of a new marine sanctuary in the area.

The marine ecotourism sector has great potential to link back to community and local economic development, says Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge project co-leader Professor Simon Milne at AUT.

Coromandel Ocean Adventures is applying to the Department of Conservation for a marine mammal viewing permit.

A marine mammal sanctuary to protect declining numbers of bottlenose dolphins in the Bay of Island will come into force on 15 December.

Oban-based boat tour and water taxi services firm Rakuira Charters is applying for permission to add another commercial vessel for the viewing of marine mammals around Stewart Island.

The BBC is seeking approval from the Department of Conservation to film New Zealand false killer whales and oceanic bottlenose dolphins for a new wildlife series to be broadcast in 2024.

The Department of Conservation is reminding people to stay away from the five marine reserves in the Auckland region when going fishing under the more relaxed Covid-19 alert level 3 rules.

Greenpeace is calling for more protection of Māui dolphins after it was revealed there were only 54 of the marine creatures left.