Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone Research Articles

Fishery catch is affected by geographic expansion, fishing down food webs and climate change in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Historical fishing effort has resulted, in many parts of the ocean, in increasing catches of smaller, lower trophic level species once larger higher trophic level species have been depleted. Concurrently, changes in the geographic distribution of marine species have been observed as species track their thermal affinity in line with ocean warming. However, geographic shifts in fisheries, including to deeper waters, may conceal the phenomenon of fishing down the food web and effects of climate warming on fish stocks. Fisheries-catch weighted metrics such as the Mean Trophic Level (MTL) and Mean Temperature of the Catch (MTC) are used to investigate these phenomena, although apparent trends of these metrics can be masked by the aforementioned geographic expansion and deepening of fisheries catch across large areas and time periods. We investigated instances of both fishing down trophic levels and climate-driven changes in the geographic distribution of fished species in New Zealand waters from 1950-2019, using the MTL and MTC. Thereafter, we corrected for the masking effect of the geographic expansion of fisheries within these indices by using the Fishing-in-Balance (FiB) index and the adapted Mean Trophic Level (aMTL) index. Our results document the offshore expansion of fisheries across the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from 1950-2019, as well as the pervasiveness of fishing down within nearshore fishing stock assemblages. We also revealed the warming of the MTC for pelagic-associated fisheries, trends that were otherwise masked by the depth- and geographic expansion of New Zealand fisheries across the study period.

Integrating survey and observer data improves the predictions of New Zealand spatio-temporal models

AbstractIn many situations, species distribution models need to make use of multiple data sources to address their objectives. We developed a spatio-temporal modelling framework that integrates research survey data and data collected by observers onboard fishing vessels while accounting for physical barriers (islands, convoluted coastlines). We demonstrated our framework for two bycatch species in New Zealand deepwater fisheries: spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and javelinfish (Lepidorhynchus denticulatus). Results indicated that employing observer-only data or integrated data is necessary to map fish biomass at the scale of the New Zealand exclusive economic zone, and to interpolate local biomass indices (e.g., for the east coast of the South Island) in years with no survey but available observer data. Results also showed that, if enough survey data are available, fisheries analysts should: (1) develop both an integrated model and a model relying on survey-only data; and (2) for a given geographic area, ultimately choose the index produced with integrated data or the index produced with survey-only data based on the reliability of the interannual variability of the index. We also conducted a simulation experiment, which indicated that the predictions of our spatio-temporal models are virtually insensitive to the consideration of physical barriers.

Six new species of free-living nematodes (Nematoda: Enoplida) from deep-sea cold seeps on Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand.

Little is known about the taxonomy of deep-sea nematode species inhabiting cold seep habitats. An opportunity to characterize the nematode species communities of New Zealand cold seeps was provided by a 2019 research voyage to New Zealand's Hikurangi Margin, during which macrofauna cores were obtained at two seeps at approximately 1,250 and 2,000 m water depth. Here, six new species of the orderEnoplida are described. Metacylicolaimus catherinae sp. nov. represents the first record of the genus for the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone and for the deep sea globally. Halalaimus talaurinus sp. nov., Thalassoalaimus duoporus sp. nov. and Crenopharynx crassipapilla sp. nov. are only the second species of their respective genera to be described/recorded from New Zealand waters, and Oncholaimus adustus sp. nov. is the eighth species of the genus to be recorded from the region. Rhabdodemania zealandiaensis sp. nov. was among the most abundant and widespread species found at the Hikurangi Margin seep sites. A few specimens had been found in a previous ecological study of meiofaunal nematode communities on Chatham Rise, a submarine ridge south of Hikurangi Margin. It is possible that this species has a preference for seep environments due to elevated food availability, however it does not seem to be exclusively found in seeps. We find no evidence for an affinity between nematode seep communities in New Zealand and elsewhere, which is consistent with the high variability in nematode community observed to date among regions. Ongoing work on the ecology and distribution of nematode communities at the Hikurangi Margin seep sites will help determine spatial patterns in abundance and species distributions in more detail, including the identification of any species/taxa with affinities with seeps.

Spatial mismatch in diversity facets reveals contrasting protection for New Zealand's cetacean biodiversity

Cetaceans play key roles in the world's ecosystems and provide important economic and social benefits. New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone is a global biodiversity hotspot for cetaceans and benefits from a system of marine protected areas (MPAs). However, spatial patterns of cetacean biodiversity and their overlap with MPAs have never been assessed.We quantify this overlap by using a comprehensive cetacean at-sea sightings database, high-resolution environmental data layers, and information on ecological and evolutionary characteristics of each species to model spatial patterns of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of cetaceans. We examine areas of congruence among hotspots of richness and uniqueness components of biodiversity and measure the contribution of species to biodiversity.We find that cetacean taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity are spatially mismatched with MPAs, but this is less true for functional diversity. Hotspots of congruence among richness indices are located on the continental shelf break, whereas hotspots of uniqueness indices are located closer to shore on the continental shelf. Seven species have high contributions to biodiversity, with blue whale being the only species being evolutionarily distinct, functionally unique, specialised and globally endangered.Our results underline the potential of multicomponent biodiversity indices, their spatial congruence, and the contribution of species to biodiversity to be used as guides for a strategic placement and expansion of MPAs to protect biodiversity.

Functional beta diversity of New Zealand fishes: Characterising morphological turnover along depth and latitude gradients, with derivation of functional bioregions

AbstractChanges in the functional structures of communities are rarely examined along multiple large‐scale environmental gradients. Here, we describe patterns in functional beta diversity for New Zealand marine fishes versus depth and latitude, including broad‐scale delineation of functional bioregions. We derived eight functional traits related to food acquisition and locomotion and calculated complementary indices of functional beta diversity for 144 species of marine ray‐finned fishes occurring along large‐scale depth (50–1200 m) and latitudinal gradients (29°–51°S) in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. We focused on a suite of morphological traits calculated directly from in situ Baited Remote Underwater Stereo‐Video (stereo‐BRUV) footage and museum specimens. We found that functional changes were primarily structured by depth followed by latitude, and that latitudinal functional turnover decreased with increasing depth. Functional turnover among cells increased with increasing depth distance, but this relationship plateaued for greater depth distances (>750 m). In contrast, functional turnover did not change significantly with increasing latitudinal distance at 700–1200 m depths. Shallow functional bioregions (50–100 m) were distinct at different latitudes, whereas deeper bioregions extended across broad latitudinal ranges. Fishes in shallow depths had a body shape conducive to efficient propulsion, while fishes in deeper depths were more elongated, enabling slow, energy‐efficient locomotion, and had large eyes to enhance vision. Environmental filtering may be a primary driver of broad‐scale patterns of functional beta diversity in the deep sea. Greater environmental homogeneity may lead to greater functional homogeneity across latitudinal gradients at deeper depths (700–1200 m). We suggest that communities living at depth may follow a ‘functional village hypothesis’, whereby similar key functional niches in fish communities may be maintained over large spatial scales.

Detecting Ships in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone: Requirements for a Dedicated SmallSat SAR Mission

The performance tradeoffs of a smallsat synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system for maritime surveillance in the coastal waters of New Zealand are investigated. The lower costs of smallsat platforms allow for a constellation of SAR satellites that can be launched from New Zealand using an existing local launch service provider. The minimum SAR image quality necessary for a smallsat system to achieve a desired detection performance is determined using existing X-band satellite data. The image quality is specified in terms of noise-equivalent sigma zero (NESZ) and resolution. It was found that for a resolution cell of 4 m <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> a system NESZ of -1.7 dB is sufficient to detect small fishing vessels with a probability of detection of 0.5, while maintaining the probability of false alarm below 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-10</sup> . These requirements are translated into a preliminary SAR system design.

Cellaria (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata) from the deep: new species from the southern Zealandian region

Collections from relatively deep waters around the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone have revealed new species in the cheilostome bryozoan genus Cellaria sensu lato. We describe here seven new species: C. calculosa n. sp., C. curiosa n. sp., C. gracillima n. sp., C. major n. sp., C. spatulifera n. sp., C. stenorhyncha n. sp. and C. macricula n. sp. previously misidentified as C. humilis Moyano, 1983. Four additional species (here called spp. 1, 2, 3, 4) are left in open nomenclature since not enough key taxonomic characteristics were observed to define them as new. Furthermore, some of the newly described species have combinations of taxonomic characters that overlap with those said to characterise Paracellaria and Euginoma. The New Zealand region holds the highest species diversity of Cellaria sensu lato in the world.

Description of two new species of Dysidea (Porifera, Demospongiae, Dictyoceratida, Dysideidae) from Tauranga Harbour, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

Differentiation of species within the genus Dysidea Johnston, 1842 (Order Dictyoceratida Minchin, 1900, Family Dysideidae Gray, 1867) is extremely difficult as they lack spicules which are strongly diagnostic in other Demospongiae, and their primary and secondary fibres and the mesh that they form, may be irregular in shape and thickness, thus difficult to measure for comparisons. Here we review species of Dysidea known from the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), validating five species: Dysidea cristagalli Bergquist, 1961a, from the Hauraki Gulf; D. hirciniformis (Carter, 1885a) sensu Dendy (1924), from North Cape; D. navicularis Lendenfeld, 1888, from Port Lyttleton on the east coast of the South Island; D. ramsayi (Lendenfeld, 1888) from the Chatham Islands; D. spiculivora Dendy, 1924, from Cape Maria Van Diemen and the Three Kings Islands to the north of New Zealand. Dysidea fragilis (Montagu, 1818) sensu Bergquist (1961b), from Mernoo Bank on Chatham Rise, is now considered to be invalid, and D. elegans (Nardo, 1847) sensu Brøndsted (1927), from the Coromandel Peninsula, is considered unrecognisable. Several partially characterised species have also been cited in the literature. Two new species from Tauranga Harbour, on the northeast coast of the North Island, Dysidea tuapokere sp. nov. and D. teawanui sp. nov., are described. These descriptions are based on fresh material and in situ photography, facilitating clear, informative descriptions, that will enable ease of identification of these species in the future.

Modelling the spatial distribution of cetaceans in New Zealand waters

AbstractAimCetaceans are inherently difficult to study due to their elusive, pelagic and often highly migratory nature. New Zealand waters are home to 50% of the world's cetacean species, but their spatial distributions are poorly known. Here, we model distributions of 30 cetacean taxa using an extensive at‐sea sightings dataset (n &gt; 14,000) and high‐resolution (1 km2) environmental data layers.LocationNew Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).MethodsTwo models were used to predict probability of species occurrence based on available sightings records. For taxa with &lt;50 sightings (n = 15), Relative Environmental Suitability (RES), and for taxa with ≥50 sightings (n = 15), Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) models were used. Independently collected presence/absence data were used for further model evaluation for a subset of taxa.ResultsRES models for rarely sighted species showed reasonable fits to available sightings and stranding data based on literature and expert knowledge on the species' autecology. BRT models showed high predictive power for commonly sighted species (AUC: 0.79–0.99). Important variables for predicting the occurrence of cetacean taxa were temperature residuals, bathymetry, distance to the 500 m isobath, mixed layer depth and water turbidity. Cetacean distribution patterns varied from highly localised, nearshore (e.g., Hector's dolphin), to more ubiquitous (e.g., common dolphin) to primarily offshore species (e.g., blue whale). Cetacean richness based on stacked species occurrence layers illustrated patterns of fewer inshore taxa with localised richness hotspots, and higher offshore richness especially in locales of the Macquarie Ridge, Bounty Trough and Chatham Rise.Main conclusionsPredicted spatial distributions fill a major knowledge gap towards informing future assessments and conservation planning for cetaceans in New Zealand's extensive EEZ. While sightings datasets were not spatially comprehensive for any taxa, these two best available approaches allow for predictive modelling of both more common, and of rarely sighted, cetacean species with limited available information.

Oceanic nomad or coastal resident? Behavioural switching in the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)

Pelagic sharks are vulnerable to overfishing because of their low reproductive rates, generally low growth rates, and high catch rates in tuna and billfish fisheries worldwide. Pelagic sharks often migrate long distances, but they may also occur close to shore, making it difficult to classify their behaviour on the continuum from oceanic nomad to coastal resident. This has important implications for fishery management, which must be targeted at an appropriate spatial scale. Conventional tagging indicates that shortfin mako sharks move widely around the southwest Pacific Ocean, but there is little information on their habitat use or mobility in the region. This study deployed electronic tags on 14 mostly juvenile New Zealand mako sharks to investigate their habitat use, and the spatial and temporal scale of their movements. Movement behaviour was classified as Resident or Travel, with the former focused in New Zealand coastal waters, and the latter in oceanic waters around New Zealand and along oceanic ridges running north towards the tropical islands of Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Sharks regularly switched between Resident and Travel behavioural states, but their residency periods sometimes lasted for several months. Sharks spent most of their time in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (median 77%, five sharks > 90%), presumably because of the high coastal productivity and access to abundant prey. These results challenge the conventional view that mako sharks are nomadic wanderers, and suggest that fishing mortality should be managed at a local as well as a regional scale.

Ensemble habitat suitability modeling of vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator taxa to inform deep-sea fisheries management in the South Pacific Ocean

Resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) require states and competent authorities to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), ecologically important habitats in the deep sea that are considered to be especially at risk from anthropogenic disturbances such as fishing. The lack of data concerning the location and extent of VMEs poses a significant obstacle to their protection. Habitat suitability modeling is increasingly used in spatial management planning due to its ability to predict the distribution and niche of marine organisms based on limited input data. We generated broad-scale, medium-resolution (1 km2) ensemble models for ten VME indicator taxa within the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone and a portion of the South Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organisation (SPRFMO) convention area. Ensemble models were constructed using a weighted average of three habitat suitability model types: Boosted Regression Trees, Maximum Entropy, and Random Forest. All models performed well, with area under the curve scores above 0.9, and ensemble models marginally outperformed any of the individual modeling approaches. Highly suitable habitat for each VME indicator taxa was predicted to occur in relatively small areas throughout the region, typically associated with elevated seafloor features with steep slopes. Determining the spatial distribution of VME indicator taxa is critical for assessing the current and historical extent of bottom trawling impacts on benthic communities, and for supporting the improved spatial management of fisheries in the South Pacific Ocean. Given the additional threats of climate change and ocean acidification to VME indicator taxa throughout the deep sea, habitat suitability modeling is likely to play an increasing role in designing effective, long-term protection measures for cumulative impacts on VMEs.

Living and fossil Steginoporellidae (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) from New Zealand.

The cheilostome bryozoan family Steginoporellidae in New Zealand comprises seven living species of Steginoporella. Three of these are new to science-Steginoporella discors n. sp., Steginoporella lineata n. sp. and Steginoporella modesta n. sp.-and one (Steginoporella magnifica) additionally occurs as a Plio-Pleistocene fossil. A new Early Pleistocene fossil species, Steginoporella tiara n. sp., is also recognised. The living species exhibit the full range of colonial morphologies known for the genus, and two of the new deep-shelf taxa described herein have the smallest known colonies, both linear, not exceeding 5 mm in width and 22 mm in length. One species has a recorded depth range down to 615 m, apparently the deepest known for the genus. Zooidal proportions vary, with a length:width ratio in the seven living species ranging from 1.31 to 1.81, exceeded only by that in the new fossil taxon, which has very elongate zooids. Notwithstanding the conspicuous differences in colonial and zooidal morphology, four of the living species appear to be closely related, sharing distinctive reticulation of opercular sclerites, a similar morphology of the median process and no B-zooid morphs. Only one New Zealand taxon has B-zooids. Biogeographically, all the species except S. magnifica (also known from Tonga) are nominally endemic, but it is possible that some of the deeper-water taxa may eventually be found outside the boundary of the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. The operculum in Steginoporella species is initially a single thin layer continuous with the membranous frontal wall, becoming two-layered when fully functioning in feeding zooids and mandibulate B-zooids.

Four new nematode species (Araeolaimida: Comesomatidae, Diplopeltidae) from the New Zealand continental slope.

Four new nematode species of the order Araeolaimida are described from the continental slope of New Zealand: Sabatieria megadena sp. n., Pararaeolaimus tetradenus sp. n., Southerniella parasimplex sp. n., and Diplopeltula cuspidiboja sp. n. The present study provides the first record of the genus Pararaeolaimus in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. Pararaeolaimus megaloamphidus Timm, 1961, Diplopeltula mollis Bussau, 1993 and Diplopeltula peruensis Bussau, 1993 are considered species inquirendae due to the incomplete nature of the original descriptions. Southerniella amblynema Bussau, 1993, Southerniella lympha Bussau, 1993, and Southerniella nojii Jensen, 1991 are transferred to the genus Intasia Tchesunov & Miljutina, 2008 due to the presence of a single anterior outsretched ovary. A key to valid Southerniella species is provided.

The phylogeography and population genetics of Polyprion oxygeneios based on mitochondrial DNA sequences and microsatellite DNA markers

A 488 base pair portion of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence from 294 individuals, and genotypes from 259 individuals using nine polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci, were used to investigate the phylogeography and population genetic structure of hapuku Polyprion oxygeneios from around New Zealand. The mtDNA data failed to detect any significant level of differentiation among sample sites. However, the microsatellite DNA analyses showed that individuals sampled from the west coast of the South Island (Hokitika) were genetically distinct from individuals sampled at all other New Zealand sites. These two groups might be representative of two separate populations of P. oxygeneios within New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone. Our results suggest that the west coast South Island P. oxygeneios fishery should continue to be managed as a separate stock.

Megabenthic assemblage structure on three New Zealand seamounts: implications for seafloor massive sulfide mining

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 523:1-14 (2015) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11239 FEATURE ARTICLE Megabenthic assemblage structure on three New Zealand seamounts: implications for seafloor massive sulfide mining R. E. Boschen1,2,*, A. A. Rowden1, M. R. Clark1, S. J. Barton1,3, A. Pallentin1, J. P. A. Gardner2 1National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 14901, Kilbirnie, Wellington, New Zealand 2School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand 3School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand *Corresponding author: rachel.boschen@niwa.co.nz; rachel.boschen@vuw.ac.nz ABSTRACT: Seamounts are recognized for their biological importance and, more recently, mineral wealth. However, in most cases the biological information required to assess the risk to seamount assemblages from mining is lacking. This study uses towed video footage and environmental data to investigate the patterns of megafaunal distribution, assemblage structure and association with environmental variables, both within and amongst 3 seamounts along the Kermadec volcanic arc in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. These seamounts represent different levels of hydrothermal activity, with an overlapping depth range: Rumble II East has no history of hydrothermal activity, Brothers is hydrothermally active and Rumble II West is predominantly inactive. All 3 seamounts fall within an area previously licenced for the prospecting phase of seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) mining. In total, 186 putative taxa were identified from video samples and assigned to 20 assemblages. Both seamount and a priori defined habitat (nested within seamount) contributed to explaining variation in assemblage structure, with a mixture of shared and unique assemblages found at each seamount. Magnetivity, as a proxy for hydrothermal activity, explained most of the variation in assemblage structure amongst seamounts, with depth, topography, substratum (and magnetivity for Brothers) explaining most within seamounts. Environmental management implications include the need to designate a network of ‘set-aside’ sites both within and amongst seamounts to adequately protect the range of faunal assemblages present. This study also suggests that inactive SMS areas may support faunal assemblages not found elsewhere within the region and would require suitable protection from mining activities. KEY WORDS: SMS mining · Seamounts · Megabenthic · Distribution · Deep sea · Assemblages · Management Full text in pdf format Information about this Feature Article NextCite this article as: Boschen RE, Rowden AA, Clark MR, Barton SJ, Pallentin A, Gardner JPA (2015) Megabenthic assemblage structure on three New Zealand seamounts: implications for seafloor massive sulfide mining. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 523:1-14. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11239 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 523. Online publication date: March 16, 2015 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2015 Inter-Research.

A Stitch in Time Saves... the Seabed? A Precautionary Approach to Mining in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone

Environmental precaution has developed as one of the cornerstones of modern law concerning sustainability. The idea is that where there is uncertainty as to the effects of a proposed activity, such uncertainty should not be used as an excuse for taking no action to address effects. In common parlance, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’. New Zealand’s environmental law has a relatively short — yet rich — history of precautionary thinking. From its origins in European (and, in particular, German) municipal law and its translation into various international instruments, the idea of precaution found formal expression in New Zealand’s resource management legislation from the mid-1990s. New Zealand’s key environmental statute, the Resource Management Act 1991 (NZ) (‘RMA’), does not specifically refer to precaution in its consenting context, yet the courts have seen a precautionary approach as inherent in its provisions in a variety of ways. In contrast, the recently enacted Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012 (NZ) (‘EEZ Act’) specifically requires decision-makers to favour caution and environmental protection when information is uncertain. However, the exact ways in which this is to occur are unclear. This article considers the development of precaution as a legal concept in New Zealand environmental law, from its inclusion in the fisheries context to its most recent conceptualisation in the EEZ Act. The latter, the article argues, has drawn on the relatively weak and vague requirements of previous formulations, but has repackaged and strengthened them to produce a strong and directive approach to dealing with risk and uncertainty. It could mark a potential turning of the tide for precautionary thinking in New Zealand. Recent decisions concerning seabed mining have indeed suggested this may be the case.

The Application of the Precautionary and Adaptive Management Approaches in the Seabed Mining Context: Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd Marine Consent Decision Under New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012

This short piece analyses a recent path-breaking decision by the Decision-making Committee (DMC) of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) of New Zealand. In Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd Marine Consent Decision (June 2014), the DMC considered New Zealand’s first application for ‘marine consent’ for continental shelf seabed mining under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012 (EEZ Act).

A Review of the Snailfishes (Liparidae, Scorpaeniformes) of New Zealand, Including Descriptions of a New Genus and Sixteen New Species

A review of all snailfishes from New Zealand waters deposited in the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Ton-garewa showed that six genera and at least 18 species occur within the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. Of these,one genus and 16 species are new. These new taxa, described here, are Aetheliparis taurocanis n.g., n.sp. from near Moa Seamount at 731–869 m, Careproctus narilobus from the Chatham Plateau at about 1830 m, C. pellucicauda and Paraliparis pseudokreffti from the Bounty Trough at 2786–2821 m, P. exilis from the southeast Chatham slope, P. free- borni and P. pearcyi from the northeast Chatham Rise at 1044–1050 and 1218 m respectively, Osteodiscus rhepostomias from the Bounty Trough at 2786–2821 m, Psednos argyrogaster from the east Chatham Rise at 1015–1037 m, P. chathami from the Chatham Rise at 1335–1340 m, P. cryptocaeca from off the Otago Canyons at 118–121 m, P. longiventris fromthe Chatham Rise at 1054–1058 m, P. microstomus from Reinga Ridge at 1158–1230 m, P. nemnezi from the Pegasus Can-yon and south Chatham Rise at 862–960 m, P. platyoperculosus from Chatham Rise at 1141–1163 m, and P. struthersi from the southern Havre Trough at 1411–1428 m. The two previously known species from New Zealand waters are Care- proctus novaezelandiae Andriashev and Notoliparis kermadecensis (Nielsen). In addition, several specimens of Parali- paris and Psednos could not be identified or described because of their poor condition, but do not seem to be the same asany of the 18 described species. Partial descriptions are provided for them. This paper describes the new taxa, reviews the known taxa, and provides keys to their identification.

A Review of the Snailfishes (Liparidae, Scorpaeniformes) of New Zealand, Including Descriptions of a New Genus and Sixteen New Species

A review of all snailfishes from New Zealand waters deposited in the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Ton-garewa showed that six genera and at least 18 species occur within the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. Of these,one genus and 16 species are new. These new taxa, described here, are Aetheliparis taurocanis n.g., n.sp. from near Moa Seamount at 731–869 m, Careproctus narilobus from the Chatham Plateau at about 1830 m, C. pellucicauda andParaliparis pseudokreffti from the Bounty Trough at 2786–2821 m, P. exilis from the southeast Chatham slope, P. free-borni and P. pearcyi from the northeast Chatham Rise at 1044–1050 and 1218 m respectively, Osteodiscus rhepostomiasfrom the Bounty Trough at 2786–2821 m, Psednos argyrogaster from the east Chatham Rise at 1015–1037 m, P. chathamifrom the Chatham Rise at 1335–1340 m, P. cryptocaeca from off the Otago Canyons at 118–121 m, P. longiventris fromthe Chatham Rise at 1054–1058 m, P. microstomus from Reinga Ridge at 1158–1230 m, P. nemnezi from the Pegasus Can-yon and south Chatham Rise at 862–960 m, P. platyoperculosus from Chatham Rise at 1141–1163 m, and P. struthersifrom the southern Havre Trough at 1411–1428 m. The two previously known species from New Zealand waters are Care-proctus novaezelandiae Andriashev and Notoliparis kermadecensis (Nielsen). In addition, several specimens of Parali-paris and Psednos could not be identified or described because of their poor condition, but do not seem to be the same asany of the 18 described species. Partial descriptions are provided for them. This paper describes the new taxa, reviews the known taxa, and provides keys to their identification.

Patterns of Deep-Sea Genetic Connectivity in the New Zealand Region: Implications for Management of Benthic Ecosystems

Patterns of genetic connectivity are increasingly considered in the design of marine protected areas (MPAs) in both shallow and deep water. In the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), deep-sea communities at upper bathyal depths (<2000 m) are vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance from fishing and potential mining operations. Currently, patterns of genetic connectivity among deep-sea populations throughout New Zealand’s EEZ are not well understood. Using the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16S rRNA genes as genetic markers, this study aimed to elucidate patterns of genetic connectivity among populations of two common benthic invertebrates with contrasting life history strategies. Populations of the squat lobster Munida gracilis and the polychaete Hyalinoecia longibranchiata were sampled from continental slope, seamount, and offshore rise habitats on the Chatham Rise, Hikurangi Margin, and Challenger Plateau. For the polychaete, significant population structure was detected among distinct populations on the Chatham Rise, the Hikurangi Margin, and the Challenger Plateau. Significant genetic differences existed between slope and seamount populations on the Hikurangi Margin, as did evidence of population differentiation between the northeast and southwest parts of the Chatham Rise. In contrast, no significant population structure was detected across the study area for the squat lobster. Patterns of genetic connectivity in Hyalinoecia longibranchiata are likely influenced by a number of factors including current regimes that operate on varying spatial and temporal scales to produce potential barriers to dispersal. The striking difference in population structure between species can be attributed to differences in life history strategies. The results of this study are discussed in the context of existing conservation areas that are intended to manage anthropogenic threats to deep-sea benthic communities in the New Zealand region.