Recent marine survey in Fiordland, NZ found deep water community, new species completely unknown to science

Posted On: July 1, 2009

Recently, a team from DOC, NIWA and the Fiordland Marine Guardians in New Zealand carried out a ten-day survey of the creatures living up to 200 metres deep in the fiords of Doubtful and Dusky Sounds. Little is known about what lives within this unique fiord ecosystem below diveable depths, and it had previously been supposed that there was not much life on the steep rock walls of the fiords below 40 metres.

Fish surveys were done using a baited underwater video system.  NIWA taxonomic experts are working on identifying some of the unknown animals that were captured on video.

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