- DISCOVERY Yacht Nyla
Shining a Light on Aotearoa’s Hidden Deep Reefs
- December 19 - 23, 2025
- Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Project Overview
Professor James Bell and his team at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington are exploring the “mesophotic zone”, the middle-light depths between 20 and 150 m that sit between diver limits and the deep sea. These habitats remain largely unseen despite their ecological importance. Using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), the project focuses on observing reef structure, biodiversity, and species composition both inside and outside marine protected areas, helping to improve understanding of how these deeper ecosystems function and how they may be influenced by protection status.
Application
The observations from this expedition contribute to a growing body of knowledge about Aotearoa’s deep reefs, particularly in comparing biodiversity and habitat structure inside and outside marine protected areas. Documenting species presence, reef complexity, and deep-water communities helps inform future scientific work, conservation planning, and management decisions.
Expedition Summary
From December 19th to 23rd, 2025, SeaKeepers South Pacific supported this expedition aboard DISCOVERY Yacht Nyla, with Melissa White, Director of South Pacific, participating alongside the science team. Operations were carried out across several key locations including the Mercury Islands, Alderman Islands, and Mayor Island (Tūhua).
Over the course of the expedition, the team completed more than 10 ROV deployments, surveying deep-reef sites both inside and outside marine protected areas. On the second day, the primary ROV experienced technical issues and was unable to continue operations. The team adapted by switching to a backup ROV, which still allowed dives to depths of up to 100 metres, ensuring the expedition could continue with minimal disruption.
Across multiple sites, the ROV footage revealed complex deep-reef habitats, including several very large black corals, extensive glass sponge communities, and a range of species that are believed to be previously undocumented or not yet identified. These observations highlight the richness and uniqueness of New Zealand’s deep-reef environments and reinforce how little is currently known about these ecosystems.
Location
Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Duration of Project
2025-2027
Leadership
Research Team
Amber Kirk-PhD student
Kea Witting- PhD student
Yasmine Ahlman- PhD student
Partner Sites
Photo Gallery
