WWF Shining a spotlight on the biodiversity of ... - MarineNZ.org.nz

Southeastern
continental margin/
Deep Western
Boundary Current
Map ID number:
23
Location: The margin of the
Campbell Plateau off the
southeast coast of the South
Island
Approximate area: 269,762km 2
Description of area:
Along the southeastern continental margin
there is an abrupt transition from deep shelf
to abyssal sea floor. The margin constrains
the flow on its northern side of the Deep
Western Boundary Current, which is the
biggest “river” in the world.
Biological attributes:
Biologically unexplored.
Criteria applied:
Representation (across physical types);
biologically unknown.
Status and management:
Bollons Seamount and Seamount 401 are
among the 19 seamounts that were closed
to trawling in 2001 under the Fisheries Act
1996.
State of information:
Biologically unexplored.
References and further reading:
No benthic biological references in NIWA’s
library.
Sea cucumber (Pslous neozelanicus)
©Tim O’Hara, Museum Victoria
Macquarie Ridge
Map ID number:
24
Location: South of the
South Island
Approximate area: 73,550km 2
Description of area:
The Macquarie Ridge is a tectonically
generated volcanic ridge. It acts as a barrier
to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current because
of its north-south trend.
Biological attributes:
The ridge is a transition zone between
neozelanic and Antarctic biotic elements.
It is variably and locally rich in echinoderms
and bryozoans.
Criteria applied:
Representation (across physical types);
extremeties of range; biologically unknown.
Status and management:
The northern section of the Macquarie
Ridge lies within New Zealand’s Exclusive
Economic Zone, while the southern section
is part of Australia’s marine jurisdiction.
The Australian Government established
the Macquarie Island Marine Park in
1999, which comprises 162,000km 2 of
Commonwealth waters to the southeast
of Macquarie Island. The state waters
immediately surrounding the island are a
marine reserve. The marine park is part
of the National Representative System of
Marine Protected Areas, which aims to
maintain ecological processes and protect
Australia’s marine biodiversity. The island
and surrounding waters out to 12 nautical
miles were listed as a World Heritage
Area in December 1997. Furthermore,
the Macquarie Island Nature Reserve,
which includes the marine and terrestrial
environments, is one of 12 UNESCO
“biosphere reserves” in Australia, and the
only one in the Southern Ocean (Australian
Department of the Environment and
Heritage 2004).
Bottom midwater trawling to target
Patagonian toothfish occurs along the
western edge of the ridge west of Macquarie
Island and Judge and Clerk Islands. Fishery
operations are subject to environmental
standards (Australian Department of the
Environment and Heritage 2004).
State of information:
The Macquarie Ridge is not yet adequately
characterised biologically.
References and further reading:
Australian Department of the Environment
and Heritage (2004), Butler et al. (2000),
Dawson (1970, 1988), Cairns (1991),
McKnight (unpublished).
BIODIVERSITY – NEW ZEALAND’S MARINE ECOREGION ■ 63