The Marine Life

Fish
Over 180 fish species have been recorded on Wellington’s south coast. Common species include butterfish, blue moki, blue cod, banded wrasse, variable triplefin and spotty. Occasionally seen species include snapper, long-tailed stingray, and the seahorse. Although common, seahorses are well camouflaged during the day, but at night their eyes can be picked up by torchlight, shining like cats’ eyes.

+ see some of the fish here

Invertebrates
The area is particularly rich in invertebrates (animals without backbones).

Octopus, rock lobsters, crabs and starfish are common. The sandy shores are characterised by animals, such as shellfish and worms, which live in the sediment. Thriving on shady underwater rock walls, which are free from algae, are filter-feeding animals such as anemones, sea sponges and sea squirts.

Less common are the ancient brachiopods – shallow water shellfish with two different-sized hinged valves. The sea hare can also be found here, feeding on seaweed.

+ see some of the invertebrates here

Seaweed
Providing habitat, food and shelter, almost half of New Zealand’s 850 seaweed species can be found here.

Hardy species able to tolerate burial and sand abrasion, such as Gymnogon grusfurcatus, G.humilis, and G. torulosus are common on the sandy, exposed shores of the marine reserve.

The brown, leathery straps of Durvillea antarctica(bull kelp), can be seen swirling near the surface in rough wave-exposed rocky shores.

In more sheltered spots, such as between Island Bay and Taputeranga Island, forests of Macrocystis pyrifera (giant kelp) up to 20m tall are found with blades floating on the surface.

+ see some seaweed here