Southwest Pacific Marine Species Data from Fisheries and Research Surveys

NIWA's Marine Biodata Information System serves as the Southwestern Pacific Regional OBIS Node. The dataset contains results from research trawl surveys for fisheries management within the New Zealand EEZ, decades of marine invertebrate research sampling, and presence data for coralline algae. It is described as a work in progress, with new data continually being added.

Use Cases

• Modeling species distribution based on trawl survey data mentioned in the description
• Analyzing long-term changes in marine invertebrate populations based on decades of sampling
• Mapping the presence of coralline algae along the New Zealand coast
• Supporting regional fisheries management decisions based on survey data

Strengths

• Integrates data from multiple sources: fisheries trawl surveys and decades of invertebrate research
• Describes a defined and expanding geographic scope from Antarctica to Fiji and the mid Tasman to mid-Pacific
• Data is described as continually updated as new information is discovered or provided

Limitations

• Row count, column definitions, and file formats are unknown
• Last update date and license information are unknown
• Data may reflect geographic and source bias towards New Zealand's EEZ and fisheries-related sampling

Provenance

Source

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand, via its Marine Biodata Information System (MBIS).

Collection Method

Data from research trawl surveys for fisheries management and long-term marine invertebrate research sampling.

Time Range

Covers several decades of research sampling, but specific start and end dates are unknown.

Freshness

Update frequency is described as continuous, but specific recency is unknown.

Geography

Primarily the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with a stated future scope from Antarctica to Fiji, and from the mid Tasman Sea to the mid-Pacific Ocean.