Along with sea lions, fur seals, and dolphins, seabirds are the protected species most directly affected by fisheries in New Zealand waters (exclusive economic zone and territorial sea). Estimating seabird deaths from bycatch in commercial fishing is one way of assessing the pressure some seabird species face from current fishing practices. About one-...

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a gas that is harmful to human health, ecosystems, and plants (US EPA, 2008). It can be emitted directly into the air but is often formed as a secondary pollutant when nitric oxide (NO) emissions react with other chemicals. It also contributes to the formation of secondary particulate matter (PM) and ozone, which have their own...

We report on GHG concentrations in ‘clean air’ measured at Baring Head, near Wellington. These measurements give us a good idea of global concentrations and help us infer long-term impacts on ocean acidity, temperature, sea level and glaciers. More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be...

PM10 concentrations are given in micrograms per cubic. Source: Regional councils of Northland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, Canterbury, West Coast, Otago, Southland; District councils of Marlborough and Tasman; City Council of Nelson; Auckland Council

Extreme wave indexes estimate the occurrence of extreme wave events in coastal and oceanic waters. Extreme wave indexes estimate the number of times a significant wave height exceeds one of three threshold values for at least 12 hours in 24 marine regions. The three wave-height thresholds are four metres, six metres, and eight metres. This indicator...

"Freshwater plant and animal pests can have significant negative impacts on ecosystem health by reducing indigenous biodiversity through predation and competition, and destabilising aquatic habitats. Freshwater plant pests can cause economic losses through blocking water intakes for hydroelectricity generation, impeded drainage or irrigation. In addition,...

Extreme wave indexes estimate the occurrence of extreme wave events in coastal and oceanic waters. Extreme wave indexes estimate the number of times a significant wave height exceeds one of three threshold values for at least 12 hours in 24 marine regions. The three wave-height thresholds are four metres, six metres, and eight metres. This indicator...

11 June 2021: A revised version of this dataset has been published to correct the terminology used to compare nitrate-nitrogen values to the 3 g/m3 guideline value. The field name has been changed from “reference_condition” to “n_n_guideline”, and values in this field will now be either “Does not exceed” or “Exceeds”, instead of “Meets” or “Does not...

New Zealand has a diverse coastline, which spans 15,000 km. Reporting on our coastal seabed (benthic) habitats provides important contextual information on the state of the marine domain. This dataset relates to the "Coastal habitats" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

The climate can affect ski-field operations. Warm temperatures can result in less snow or shorter ski seasons. Extreme weather events such as storms can close fields. Monitoring the season length of ski fields and the percentage of days they are closed may indicate the extent of any effects of climate change. We assessed the season length and percentage...

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is an important predictor of how tropical oceans and climate might influence New Zealand’s climate. Being able to predict the timing and intensity of an El Niño or La Niña climate phase is important in predicting and preparing for extreme climatic conditions, such as strong winds, heavy rain, or drought. Such...

Many of New Zealand’s iconic freshwater fish species are diadromous, which means they need to migrate between fresh water and the ocean to complete their life cycles. Some man-made structures such as culverts, weirs, stormwater pump stations, tide gates, and dams can obstruct diadromous fish migrations and prevent fish from reaching critical habitats....

"Freshwater plant and animal pests can have significant negative impacts on ecosystem health by reducing indigenous biodiversity through predation and competition, and destabilising aquatic habitats. Freshwater plant pests can cause economic losses through blocking water intakes for hydroelectricity generation, impeded drainage or irrigation. In addition,...

Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency. Dataset used to develop the "River water quality: Escherichia coli" indicator (available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/river-water-quality-escherichia-coli). This dataset contains one parameter of water quality based on...

PM2.5 are particles 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter. PM2.5 is emitted from the combustion of fuels, such as wood and coal (eg from home heating and industry), and petrol and diesel (eg from vehicles). Natural sources have less influence on PM2.5 concentrations than PM10 concentrations. This means PM2.5 comes mainly from human activities. Nationally,...

Fresh water in New Zealand is highly valued for recreational activities, including fishing. Freshwater angling (primarily for introduced ‘sports fish’ such as brown trout, rainbow trout, and chinook salmon) is a popular leisure activity. Fish licences issued by Fish & Game New Zealand provide an indication of recreational fishing activity at...

The pH of New Zealand subantarctic waters is calculated from pCO2 (dissolved carbon dioxide) and alkalinity measurements using refitted Mehrbach constants (see Mehrbach et al, 1973; Dickson & Millero, 1987), and in-situ temperature taken from the Munida time-series transect off the Otago coast. Measurements of pCO2 are taken every two months. The...

This dataset measures groundwater quality in New Zealand’s aquifers based on measurements made at monitored sites. Many factors influence the quality of our groundwater. Nitrogen, which occurs naturally in groundwater, can increase in concentrations due to agricultural and urban land use, and infrastructure such as waste treatment plants. High...

The number of frost and hot days we experience each year can change in response to many climate factors, such as the warming pattern induced by El Niño. These numbers indicate the variations in our climate and are an important consideration in agriculture. They also affect our behaviour, for example, what we do to keep safe on icy roads or whether to use...

Ozone (O3) is a gas that is of interest in two regions of Earth’s atmosphere – at ground level and in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere). Stratospheric ozone absorbs ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and protects Earth from harmful levels of UV. Exposure to these UV rays has been linked to skin cancer. Monitoring variations in stratospheric ozone...