New Zealand’s fisheries and aquaculture sector is an important primary industry. It provides New Zealanders with food, economic returns, and employment. Reporting on the value of this industry helps us to understand the marine economy. This dataset relates to the "Value of fisheries and aquaculture" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao...

New Zealand has 92 seabird and 14 shorebird species and subspecies (taxa). We have the highest number of endemic seabirds (found only in a particular area) in the world. Nearly 25 percent of the world’s seabird species breed in the New Zealand region, and almost 10 percent only breed here. Seabirds and shorebirds tend to be at or near the top of the food...

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,...

"Small amounts of nitrogen are a natural component of healthy rivers. Nitrogen in rivers can vary due to differences in land use, climate, elevation, and geology. Nitrogen is transferred from land to water and is cycled through different forms, which can have different effects. Moderate concentrations of nitrate can cause weeds and algae to grow too fast....

River water quality water is valued for many reasons including ecological function and habitat, recreational value, its role in supporting people and industry, and its cultural significance. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for plant growth, however too much in rivers can lead to ‘nuisance’ growths of river algae and aquatic plants,...

"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,...

Sea lions and fur seals are the protected species most directly affected by fisheries in New Zealand waters, along with seabirds and dolphins. Estimating the bycatch of sea lions and fur seals indicates the pressures they face from current fishing practices. The New Zealand fur seal Arctocephalus forsteri is classified as not threatened. Its population...

"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,...

Greenhouse gases (GHGS) in the atmosphere absorb heat radiating from Earth, warming the atmosphere. Emissions from human activities increase the concentrations of these gases. Increases in these gases increase ocean acidity and are extremely likely to contribute to increased global temperatures, sea levels, and glacier melt. Monitoring GHG concentrations...

"Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant and animal life. Phosphorus can vary due to differences in land use, climate, elevation, and geology. Total phosphorus (TP) includes all concentrations in a sample, whether dissolved, in solid form or bound to sediment in the river. Dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) is the portion which is dissolved and can...

"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,...

Less than 25,000 people. Average is population weighted average of monitoring sites in small towns. Note: PM10 concentrations are given in micrograms per cubic metre of air, or µg/m3. Source: Regional councils of Northland, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, West Coast, Canterbury, Otago, Southland;

New Zealand is a water-rich country. Water is found in a network of waterways and lakes, as ground water, in glaciers, and in the soil and plants. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns affect our water stocks, for example leading to low flows or floods. Water physical stocks show how climate changes can impact on our environment, its...

Our fish stocks are affected by commercial, customary, and recreational fishing, and environmental pressures (eg ocean temperature, acidity, and productivity). The Ministry for Primary Industries uses three performance measures to assess influences on fish stocks: a soft limit (below which a rebuilding plan is required), a hard limit (below which closing...

"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,...

Fine sediment is the collective term for inorganic particles smaller than 2mm that are deposited on the beds of rivers and streams. Urban development, agriculture, and plantation forestry around waterways can increase the amount of sediment entering river systems. Sediment can clog the spaces between pebbles used by aquatic insects and fish, and degrade...

Along with sea lions, fur seals, and dolphins, seabirds are the protected species most directly affected by fisheries in New Zealand waters. Estimating seabird deaths from bycatch is one way of assessing the pressure some seabird species face from current fishing practices. This dataset relates to the "Bycatch of protected species: seabirds" measure on...

The marine economy shows the contribution of marine-based economic activities to the New Zealand economy. Measuring the marine economy shows how New Zealand’s marine environment is used to generate economic activity and how this changes over time. However, these activities can also be a source of pressure on New Zealand’s marine environment. Building...

Note: Metadata relates to the mosaicked imagery. This layer has been provided to enable users to explore coverage and capture dates of the imagery. To enquire about ordering the imagery, please e-mail lucas[at]mfe.govt.nz. This imagery is 10m, ten-band multispectral, cloud-minimised mosaics of Sentinel 2A satellite tiles over mainland New Zealand made...

"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,...