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Metservice oceanographer Joao de Souza, who is part of the Moana
Project, said that waters around the southern South Island were
all well above normal for this time of year with temperatures in
Fiordland 6 degrees warmer than normal.
The Moana Project said that water temperatures on the West Coast
of the South Island are currently 4 degrees above average.
These temperatures are going to have significant consequence for
an eco system that is built or adapted to cold waters, he said.
"There are always going to be winners and losers," he said, with
those marine species that can't shift location likely to be more
impacted.
New Zealand saw a number marine heatwaves last year with a
previous heatwave in Fiordland resulting in severe bleaching of
native sponges. There have also been anecdotes of species more
common in warmer waters of New Zealand being spotted further
south.
De Souza said their research showed that it was not just surface
water temperatures that were rising but also water as deep as
100 metres, which meant the marine heatwave was impacting
species who lived in deeper water.
The marine heatwave comes as a La Niña weather pattern has
caused warmer than normal temperatures in New Zealand's South
Island. This along with high pressure systems and climate change
were factors in the heatwave, said de Souza.
He added that they expected marine temperatures to remain above
normal until at least April.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer)
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