MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT COUNCIL He körero nö te Kaunihera o Wairau Sounds News Sounds' multi-beam data helps inform NZ's best-ever predictive habitat maps "Muls- beam mapping bels us about the physical structure of the seafloor. Video tels us obout the animals and plants living on the seabed. The video data from the Lile on the Seabed' survey in 2020 collected 6,251 data points from 358 sites throughout the eastem Sounds". Both of those surveys were ground-breakin high-resolution datasets. g for New Zealand in providing very NIWA scientists have generated the most detailed predictive habitat maps for any coastal area in New Zealand, with the help of Council-funded multi-beam mapping data. The researchers, led by NIWA scientist De Tara Anderson, recently presented the findings of their research to the Council. These findings confirm the Councir's significant investment in seabed mapping of the Marborough Sounds has been a valuable inestment, sald Council Coastal Scientist "This recent study brings those two amazing datasets together to create a really detailed map of where we pedict these two habitat-forming species to occur - and their abundance "NIWA is the ferst to provide this combination of data rich biology across such high resolution multi-beam maps for such a large coastal region in New Zealend," she said. From the Life on the Seabed study, Dr Anderson said it was possible to identity where Olver Wade "The deta this mapping produces has long been heralded os a huge step forward in the effective management of the Mariborough Sounds' unique coastal ecosystem and now e are starting to see some realy tangible results "It has helped to provide important new habitat insights for Queen Charlotte Sound Totaranui and Tory ChannelKura Te Au - the results trom this project have exceeded all expectations"he said. "Overlaying this new biological information on the mult-beam map data, means we can now predict sutable areas for this species across the entire survey orea" she said. "We can also do this for bryozoan patch reets, which are also known to be important nursery habitats for juvenile blue cod. "This information is critical to New Zeolond's coastal manogers, and these new maps are oiready providing a significant new tool to oid in the management and conservation of these important habitats, and the diverse communities that they support" she said Over the coming morths this research wil provide the foundation maps and knowledge for selecting and revising areas for the Council's Ecologically Significant Marine Sites planning The multi-beam mapping project has covered all of Queen Charlote Sound/Totaranul and Tory ChanneKura Te Au and was conducted in partnership with Land Information New Zealand INZ) and the National institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) in kon Bayoject eh Pyss de Pelorus Sound NIWA'S Geleoloria hy e Peran s research project. funded by the Council, modeled the distribution of two nationally important wing habitats - Galeolaria hystrix and frame-building bryozoans. "Both these aters"Sa ve leetke habitats, in a similar way to those creased by corals in "These habitats support high marine biodiversity, but like corals are fragile and susceptible to damage from bottom contact fishing methods and anchoring." he said. Galeolaria ive in a hard calcareous tube and fiter plankton from the seawater, tubeworms are unusual in hat they settle on top of other Galeolaria tubes, and can form metre tall mounds that extend klometres over the seafloor. Bryozoens also fiter plankton, but only some species are able to form reet-ke colonies ke those seen in the Sounds. These take decades to form. Dr Anderson described the combination of the muti-beam mapping and previously habitats as "one of the best data sets in the country" and contimed its value in being able to work out what areas within Queen Charlotte Sound/Totaranui are important for these marine species. Predictive Galeolorio habitot maps for the Mariborough Sounds, with red to yellow colour secths for high to low obundance DO SOMETHINO NEW Marlborough i-SITES are OPEN! MEW ZEALAND Pop in and visit the team to book domestic travel, tours and aotivities across the Marlborough region and the rest of NZ. Open Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday - Sunday 10am - 2pm Headto MarborgN.com Council's Harbours team - working to ensure our waterways are safe for everyone to enjoy. more infomation Contact the Harbourmaster's Office if you need advice or information about Marlborough's harbours. SITE 03 520 7400 | HARBOURSOMARLBOROUGH.GOVT.NZ MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS MARINAS For up to date sailing, news and weather from Mariborough Sounds Marinas visit: www.msmarinas.co.nz www.MARLBOROUGH.GOVT.NZ I 03 520 7400 I 15 SEYMOUR STREET, BLENHEIM, 7201 NEW ZEALAND MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT COUNCIL He körero nö te Kaunihera o Wairau Sounds News Sounds' multi-beam data helps inform NZ's best-ever predictive habitat maps "Muls- beam mapping bels us about the physical structure of the seafloor. Video tels us obout the animals and plants living on the seabed. The video data from the Lile on the Seabed' survey in 2020 collected 6,251 data points from 358 sites throughout the eastem Sounds". Both of those surveys were ground-breakin high-resolution datasets. g for New Zealand in providing very NIWA scientists have generated the most detailed predictive habitat maps for any coastal area in New Zealand, with the help of Council-funded multi-beam mapping data. The researchers, led by NIWA scientist De Tara Anderson, recently presented the findings of their research to the Council. These findings confirm the Councir's significant investment in seabed mapping of the Marborough Sounds has been a valuable inestment, sald Council Coastal Scientist "This recent study brings those two amazing datasets together to create a really detailed map of where we pedict these two habitat-forming species to occur - and their abundance "NIWA is the ferst to provide this combination of data rich biology across such high resolution multi-beam maps for such a large coastal region in New Zealend," she said. From the Life on the Seabed study, Dr Anderson said it was possible to identity where Olver Wade "The deta this mapping produces has long been heralded os a huge step forward in the effective management of the Mariborough Sounds' unique coastal ecosystem and now e are starting to see some realy tangible results "It has helped to provide important new habitat insights for Queen Charlotte Sound Totaranui and Tory ChannelKura Te Au - the results trom this project have exceeded all expectations"he said. "Overlaying this new biological information on the mult-beam map data, means we can now predict sutable areas for this species across the entire survey orea" she said. "We can also do this for bryozoan patch reets, which are also known to be important nursery habitats for juvenile blue cod. "This information is critical to New Zeolond's coastal manogers, and these new maps are oiready providing a significant new tool to oid in the management and conservation of these important habitats, and the diverse communities that they support" she said Over the coming morths this research wil provide the foundation maps and knowledge for selecting and revising areas for the Council's Ecologically Significant Marine Sites planning The multi-beam mapping project has covered all of Queen Charlote Sound/Totaranul and Tory ChanneKura Te Au and was conducted in partnership with Land Information New Zealand INZ) and the National institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) in kon Bayoject eh Pyss de Pelorus Sound NIWA'S Geleoloria hy e Peran s research project. funded by the Council, modeled the distribution of two nationally important wing habitats - Galeolaria hystrix and frame-building bryozoans. "Both these aters"Sa ve leetke habitats, in a similar way to those creased by corals in "These habitats support high marine biodiversity, but like corals are fragile and susceptible to damage from bottom contact fishing methods and anchoring." he said. Galeolaria ive in a hard calcareous tube and fiter plankton from the seawater, tubeworms are unusual in hat they settle on top of other Galeolaria tubes, and can form metre tall mounds that extend klometres over the seafloor. Bryozoens also fiter plankton, but only some species are able to form reet-ke colonies ke those seen in the Sounds. These take decades to form. Dr Anderson described the combination of the muti-beam mapping and previously habitats as "one of the best data sets in the country" and contimed its value in being able to work out what areas within Queen Charlotte Sound/Totaranui are important for these marine species. Predictive Galeolorio habitot maps for the Mariborough Sounds, with red to yellow colour secths for high to low obundance DO SOMETHINO NEW Marlborough i-SITES are OPEN! MEW ZEALAND Pop in and visit the team to book domestic travel, tours and aotivities across the Marlborough region and the rest of NZ. Open Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday - Sunday 10am - 2pm Headto MarborgN.com Council's Harbours team - working to ensure our waterways are safe for everyone to enjoy. more infomation Contact the Harbourmaster's Office if you need advice or information about Marlborough's harbours. SITE 03 520 7400 | HARBOURSOMARLBOROUGH.GOVT.NZ MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS MARINAS For up to date sailing, news and weather from Mariborough Sounds Marinas visit: www.msmarinas.co.nz www.MARLBOROUGH.GOVT.NZ I 03 520 7400 I 15 SEYMOUR STREET, BLENHEIM, 7201 NEW ZEALAND