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

4.0 Discussion
Ecoregion conservation is a process that
requires stakeholder collaboration and
action at ambitious spatial and thematic
scales. The compilation of data provided by
marine scientists during this workshop is
an important step in the effort to conserve
New Zealand’s marine biodiversity. Experts
identified areas of deepwater emergence
in Fiordland and the Marlborough Sounds
where species are found at unusually
shallow depths due to the unique physical
characteristics of these environments.
They noted the high productivity of the
hydrographically complex Chatham Rise,
the remarkable invertebrate diversity of
Spirits Bay, and the expanding coverage of
mangrove forests in northern New Zealand.
Seabird experts highlighted the importance
of the subantarctic and Chatham Islands
as global hotspots for bird diversity, and
the importance of migration corridors
around New Zealand. Marine mammal
experts marked the canyon and trench
systems running from Kaikoura Canyon
northwards as attractive foraging areas for
deep-diving cetacean species, such as sperm
whales. Overall, the work of the marine
scientists has helped to shine a <strong>spotlight</strong>
on the most important areas and features
of New Zealand’s marine environment and
contributed to the greater body of knowledge
about the ecoregion’s marine biodiversity.
The focus of the workshop on defining the
key biological elements provides a platform
for long-range dialogue, planning, and
action among a range of stakeholders. The
gaps that workshop participants identified
in the marine biodiversity knowledge base,
however, are a reminder that the workshop
results are biased toward representation of
the places that have been sampled and by
the sampling methods that have been used.
For example, the workshop results shine a
brighter <strong>spotlight</strong> on areas shallower than
1,500m, since there are fewer observations
of the deep. The continuous process of
marine discovery will involve observation
at larger spatial scales and depths and the
use of different sampling techniques. As
new information on marine biodiversity
distribution comes to light, other places may
be recognised as key areas for biodiversity
within the ecoregion.
Knowing the biogeographic distribution of
marine biodiversity, however complete, is
only one dimension of understanding the
marine environment. Equally important is
understanding how biodiversity functions,
and how dynamic temporal processes,
both geological and hydrologic, created
the patterns that are observed today. One
workshop participant pointed out that 20,000
years ago, many of New Zealand’s marine
habitats did not exist. Historical baselines
for the marine environment are unknown,
but would be immensely valuable for setting
conservation and management targets. Such
baselines are also critical for anticipating
how changes in environmental conditions
(e.g. those associated with climate change)
will shape the distribution of marine
organisms in the future.
The next steps for the New Zealand
Marine Ecoregion Initiative will involve
determination of how the sites and features
deemed important for marine biodiversity
intersect with human uses of the marine
environment. Spatial representation and
characterisation of human activities that
impact on the oceans would likely help to
identify the pressures on marine biodiversity.
This process would involve not only
scientists, but stakeholders with expertise
in the human uses of the environment
including tourism, fishing, shipping, mining,
bioprospecting, and other uses.
<strong>WWF</strong>-New Zealand is committed to making
information on marine biodiversity more
accessible to stakeholders and the larger
public, and to promoting conservation action
in the region. Achievement of conservation
success in New Zealand’s marine ecoregion
will require collaboration between many
partners – communities, Mäori, research
institutes, environmental managers, and
resource users. As the ecoregion consultation
process develops, goals, objectives, and
targets for marine biodiversity will be
defined in consultation with stakeholders.
Such benchmarks are central to ecoregion
conservation for measuring the performance
of conservation strategies, plans, and
partnerships. <strong>WWF</strong>-New Zealand hopes that
this document will be a useful information
source for other organisations and
individuals and will help to catalyse further
interest in and support for conservation in
the ecoregion.
BIODIVERSITY – NEW ZEALAND’S MARINE ECOREGION ■ 77