Reefs in the ‘middle’ light zone along NZ’s coast are biodiversity hotspots – many are home to protected species

James Bell, CC BY-SA

The latest update on the state of New Zealand’s environment paints a concerning outlook for marine environments, especially amid the increasing push to use the marine estate for economic gain.

But many shallow coastal ecosystems remain largely unexplored. As our latest fieldwork shows, many of these areas are hotspots for protected species, but are largely unprotected from human impacts.