Credit: Ayushi Kachhara NIWA 2018
This map shows where refuge habitats, which act as nurseries for young finfish and invertebrates, are predicted to be found.
Our coasts and oceans provide many critical ecosystem services, including the provision of biogenic (produced by living organisms) refuge habitat, such as kelp forests, sponge gardens and tubeworm mounds.
This 417 km2 map shows classification zones of importance to service provision from high importance, A (darkest shading), to low importance, G (lightest shading).
Note: This map predicts the potential for biogenic structure. If an area has been disturbed (eg been trawled or has high sediment run off from land), then it will not match its predicted classification – but may be a good candidate for restoration efforts.
