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West coast of
South Island
Map ID number:
8
Location: out to the 500 m
depth contour, from Dusky
Sound in the south to western
edge of Farewell Spit in the
north
Approximate area: 50,506km 2
Description of area:
The west coast of the South Island has an
open coast and continental shelf. The shelf
widens toward the north. The southern end
of the region includes fiord systems that are
unique to New Zealand.
Biological attributes:
New Zealand’s largest population of the
endemic Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorynchus
hectori) is found on the west coast of the
South Island. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops
truncatus) are resident in the fiords. A significant
proportion of New Zealand’s fur seal
(Arctocephalus forsteri) population lives on
this coast, which is an important foraging
area for this species. The Westland black petrel
(Procellaria westlandica) also forages on
the west coast and breeds there in the winter.
The Fiordland crested penguin (Eudyptes
pachyrhynchus) is a locally endemic species.
Criteria applied:
Conservation status/threat classification
(Hector’s dolphin).
Status and management:
There are minimal land-based human
impacts on the west coast of the South Island
due to the low level of development in this
area. Some of the marine fauna, however,
is at risk from human activities at sea. For
example, the continental shelf is an important
commercial fishing area for hoki, which
Fiordland crested penguin
has a bycatch of fur seals. In contrast, the
fisheries appear to benefit Westland petrels
which scavenge the discards of the harvest.
State of information:
Population estimates of Hector’s dolphins
and fur seals north of Fiordland are good
(e.g. Slooten et al. 2002). There are detailed
studies of Fiordland bottlenose dolphins, but
poor information on fur seal populations in
the fiords. Distribution information on penguins
is good, but abundance information for
these birds is poor.
References and further reading:
Freeman et al. (2001), Freeman and Wilson
(2002), Slooten et al. (2002), Bräger and
Schneider (1999), Williams et al. (1993).
©2004 DOC, Te Papa Atawhai/A Kerr
North coast of
South Island
Map ID number:
9
Location: Whanganui Inlet to
Cloudy Bay
Approximate area: 15,771km 2
Description of area:
Continental shelf with shallow seas.
Biological attributes:
The north coast of the South Island is home
to many inshore species. The area is of major
importance for wading birds, which congregate
here in large numbers. Farewell Spit is
a key wintering ground for Northern Hemisphere
waders. Gannets are found along this
coast, there are 6 petrel species, and a large
fairy prion (Pachyptila turtur) colony. There
is also a population of the rare and endangered
king shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus),
which is restricted to the Marlborough
Sounds.
The area is habitat for a variety of small
cetaceans, including Hector’s dolphins
(Cephalorynchus hectori), bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncates), and
orcas (Orcinus orca). There have been a
number of beaked whale strandings on
this coast. Fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri)
breed in this area.
King shag colony, Marlborough Sounds
Criteria applied:
Endemism; conservation status/threat
classification.
Status and management:
Takapourewa Island and others have iwi
involvement in management. There is human
disturbance on the islands as a result of
fishing.
State of information:
Good.
References and further reading:
Schukard (1994), Clement et al. 2001.
©2004 DOC, Te Papa Atawhai/C.D. Roderick
26 ■ BIODIVERSITY – NEW ZEALAND’S MARINE ECOREGION