Baseline Information on Marine Communities (BioInfo)

BioInfo is a research programme that aims to develop a more complete understanding of the biodiversity in certain marine communities that may be at risk from human activities. Building up our knowledge of these communities and their habitats through targeted research will mean we can manage and monitor them better.

The Ross Sea is one of the seas that surrounds Antarctica. New Zealand has a strong historical association with the Antarctic and the Southern Ocean, and the region is very important to this country.

The Ross Sea has a high level of biodiversity. The BioRoss research programme aims to improve our understanding of the Ross Sea by discovering as many species in it as possible. We urgently need to do this because there has been an increase in fishing and tourism in the area. Knowing what species live in the Ross Sea will help to improve our development and management of protected marine areas.

As part of the BioRoss programme, scientists have conducted a 41-day voyage to research the sea. They used videocameras and sampling methods to identify many of the large organisms that live on the seafloor, some of which had not been seen before.

Education and Awareness Package on Marine Biodiversity

This programme aims to educate New Zealanders about the need to protect New Zealand's biodiversity.

Case Study of Customary Management in the South Island

Traditionally, Màori iwi have managed the taking of organisms such as shellfish, fish, and seaweed in a way that ensures that the species are not harmed. This is known as "customary management". In this programme, government officials are working with the South Island iwi Ngai Tahu to develop a case study of customary management. They hope that this case study will help them identify ways to use the customary approaches to manage marine biodiversity. If it is successful, they will run more case studies throughout the country.