Only
12% of the New Zealand continental landmass is exposed above sea-level.
The only difference between this 12% and the remaining 88% is the
water cover. New Zealand's
Oceans Policy concerns not only what's in the sea, but also
what's on and beneath the seafloor. New Zealand's Oceans Policy
cannot be isolated from the land policy - the geology, resources
and hazards are continuous across the shoreline. Marine exploration almost universally has little impact on the marine environment, whereas the development of marine resources can have a very high impact. International conventions such as The United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea give New Zealand the opportunity to extend our zone of seafloor management beyond our EEZ to the boundaries of the continent ( click here for more information on the New Zealand Continental Shelf Project ) and click here to see GNS's involvement in UNCLOS .
New Zealand cannot manage its marine resources without a reasonable knowledge of what exists there. There is presently very little knowledge of the deep (>500 m) water environment (65% of the New Zealand continent). To better understand complex ecosystems, and allow marine resources to be well managed, we need the best research possible. Only then can well-informed decisions be made on the future of our oceans.