Kermadec/Rangitāhua Ocean Sanctuary

The Kermadec Islands /kərˈmædɛk/ (Māori: Rangitāhua) are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean 800–1,000 km (500–620 mi) northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga.

The islands are part of New Zealand, 33.6 km2 (13.0 sq mi) in total area and uninhabited, except for the permanently manned Raoul Island Station, the northernmost outpost of New Zealand.

The islands are listed with the New Zealand Outlying Islands. The islands are an immediate part of New Zealand, but not part of any region or district, but instead an Area Outside Territorial Authority.

 

Raoul Island Station

The Station consists of a government meteorological and radio station, and a hostel for Department of Conservation officers and volunteers, that has been maintained since 1937. It lies on the northern terraces of Raoul Island, at an elevation of about 50 m (160 ft), above the cliffs of Fleetwood Bluff. It is the northernmost inhabited outpost of New Zealand.

 

Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary

In September 2016, the NZ government confirmed that it will progress the Kermadec/Rangitāhua Ocean Sanctuary in face of opposition from the fishing industry for protection of this ecologically-important area.

Protecting sub-tropical paradise

After eight years of campaigning by WWF, partners, and thousands of New Zealanders, in March 2016, the New Zealand government introduced a Bill to Parliament to set up a Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary

Situated 1000 km north of Auckland, New Zealand’s sub tropical Kermadec Islands and deep ocean trench are teeming with an incredible array of plant and animal life – much of which is found nowhere else on the planet, yet faces future threats.

The proposed KOS, would be major conservation success – as the largest no take marine reserve in the world, surrounding the Kermadec Islands out to 200 nautical miles. The 620,000 square km KOS would contain the world’s longest chain of submerged volcanoes and the second deepest ocean trench with a depth of 10 km.

Department of Conservation hostel, Raoul Island, 2009

 

The Department of Conservation hostel on the north side of Raoul Island is the only place on the Kermadec Islands normally occupied by humans.

 

Underwater volcanoes

Exploring Kermadec Arc Undersea Volcanoes

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDL7iZhUY8Q

 

Submarine Volcanoes

The Kermadec Arc, extending 1220km to the northeast of New Zealand, consists of at least 30 volcanic centres.

 

In this 2011 video from GNS Science, scientist Cornel De Ronde talks about the work the organisation does to map the seafloor near the Kermadec Islands, exploring underwater volcanoes and hydrothermal vents, and shows some of the results of their work.

 

 

Pōhutukawa and nīkau

 

Typical lowland forest on Raoul Island is predominantly a mixture of Kermadec nīkau palms (Rhopalostylis baueri var. cheesemanii) and the red-flowering Kermadec pōhutukawa (Metrosideros kermadecensis).

 

 

Department of Conservation  on Raoul Island

 

The Kermadec Islands are about 800-1000km northeast of the North Island. They can only be accessed with a permit from Customs and the Department of Conservation (DOC).

 

They are uninhabited apart from Raoul Island Station, where there is a meteorological station and a hostel for DOC workers and volunteers.

 

 

The Kermadec Islands are uninhabited bar a government station on Raoul Island.