There is a lack of detailed survey data for offshore seafloor habitats in the Taranaki Coastal Marine Area (CMA). This is largely owing to the significant cost and resourcing associated with bathymetric surveying, as well as the challenging west coast sea conditions. Although this knowledge gap is not unique to Taranaki, it is one that needs to be addressed in order to enable informed and effective management of the CMA. The South Taranaki Bight (STB) has received some attention in recent years due to the resource consent applications for sand mining and more recently, interest from the offshore wind industry. However, it remains an area where further investigations are especially warranted.
