Ecosystem Reference
Ecosystem New Zealand Shelf
Type Sea/Bay/Gulf
Salinity saltwater
Other Names
Location
LME SAU No 46. Shelf area around and northwest of New Zealand. LME2002, LME2006, SAUP 2008. 34° S 49° S - 165° E 177° W
Location Map new-zealand-shelf.jpg
Size Ref
River Length Area 968706 km2 Drainage Area
Depth
Average Depth Max Depth Ref
Temperature
Surface 12.0 °C Map87.gif
100 Meters Depth 11.0 °C Map88.gif
Description The irregular shelf surrounding New Zealand varies greatly in width, with the northwest and southeast plateau sections reaching as far out as 3000 km, while the narrow northeast and southwest areas drop off at about 150 km. The northern half of the LME is influenced by the warm South Equatorial Current, and the southern half by the cooler West Wind Drift. Among the important fisheries of the area are those for migratory apex predators, such as tuna, billfish, and sharks, a bottom fishery for the orange roughy, and a coastal fishery for a variety of crustaceans and mollusks (http://www.na.nmfs.gov/lme/text/lme46.htm).
Comments on faunal list Area from SAU (November 2015).
URL 1 http://www.seaaroundus.org/lme/46.aspx
URL 2
Ecosystem Checklist Link
Total
FishBase Literature
Species Families Species Families Reference
911 217
Froese, Rainer on 10.05.98
Modified by Kesner-Reyes, Kathleen on 02.24.17
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