Form 4 of Schedule 5 of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013

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FORM 4 Permitted activities: Post-activity report Form 4 of Schedule 5 of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013 How to use

1 FORM 4 Permitted activities: Post-activity report Form 4 of Schedule 5 of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013 How to use this form: This form should be completed by people who have carried out a permitted activity (other than seismic surveying) in accordance with regulation 5, 6 or 8 of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects Permitted Activities) Regulations 2013 (PA Regulations 2013). This form fulfils the post-activity report requirements of Schedule 4 of the PA Regulations Timeframe: You must provide this form to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) within 60 working days of completing the activity. Note: Items marked in italics are not compulsory; however, including this information will help the EPA process the form. This completed form, once received and processed by the EPA, will be posted on the EPA website. Submitting in hard copy: If you wish to provide the completed form in hard copy, post it to Environmental Protection Authority, Private Bag 63002, Wellington 6140 or fax it to Submitting electronically: If you wish to provide the completed form electronically, it to permitted.compliance@epa.govt.nz. Any form submitted electronically should be attached to an that sets out: the details of the person undertaking the permitted activity (the operator) the name of the person supplying the completed form a statement that the person is authorised to supply the form on behalf of the operator. Note: The EPA has an 8 MB limit on electronic files submitted by . You can find and download all forms prescribed by the PA Regulations 2013, as well as suggested templates for providing other information, on our website at or request them from us by contacting: Environmental Protection Authority, Private Bag 63002, Wellington permitted.compliance@epa.govt.nz Phone Fax

2 2 Operation name: Name used by operator to reference the activity described in this form: Hikurangi Seafloor Sampling Programme, East Coast, North Island Details of the person undertaking the permitted activity Company name: Contact person: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) Helen Neil Phone number: Mobile number: Fax number: Physical address: 301 Evans Bay Parade, Wellington Postcode: 6021 Postal address (if different): Private Bag Postcode: address: Description of permitted activity Type of activity: Marine scientific research Alteration, extension or removal of a permitted marine structure Prospecting Discharge of sediments from iron sand prospecting and exploration Exploration Incidental discharge of sediments from phosphate nodule or placer gold prospecting and exploration Placement or removal of submarine cables Discharge of sediments from seafloor massive sulphide prospecting and exploration Period during which activity was undertaken: 30 th October 23 rd November Location of the permitted activity Co-ordinates of area where the activity was undertaken: (Provide four sets of co-ordinates in latitude and longitude or submit a shape file or KML/KMZ file.) Set , Set , Set , Set , I have attached a shape or KML/KMZ file

3 3 Map (showing position of activity relative to the New Zealand coastline) Figure 1: Survey area offshore East Coast, New Zealand. Details of the of the area where the activity was undertaken Describe the : This region of offshore New Zealand has been the focus of a number of mapping surveys and consequently NIWA has access to almost 100% coverage multibeam echosounder data which results in high resolution bathymetry and backscatter data (i.e. the depth and nature of the seafloor). The survey area extends across the continental slope from the shelf break to the base of the Hikurangi Trough lying variably in water depths up to ~3500 m. The sediment covered seafloor dips regionally about 1 to the east, but there are considerable variations in gradient across a series of progressively deepening slope basins and ridges, which owe their origin to subduction processes. Deeper waters occur seaward of the base of slope in the Hikurangi Trough that lies between the emergent New Zealand landmass and the southern boundary of Chatham Rise. The Rise is gently sloping with a smooth morphology, while the northwestern boundary is the continental slope offshore eastern New Zealand, which is more irregular and traversed and dissected by numerous canyons. The generally flat expanse of the Hikurangi Trough (muddy sediment plain) is bisected by the meandering Hikurangi Channel. Within NIWA s archive there are over 60 benthic stations recorded from the specific area of the sampling programme, which includes ~44 stations which have biological records (~300 records) of seafloor fauna. If al conditions are suitable, certain species may occur in densities that are considered sensitive s. Three types of potential sensitive marine habitat (as defined in Schedule 6) are known to be present in this region: (1) cold seep chemoautotrophic communities; (2) stony coral thickets or reefs; and (3) sea pen populations. However, it is unknown whether they occur in densities sufficient to satisfy the definition of such sensitive.

4 4 Describe any sensitive that was encountered in the area where the activity was undertaken: Sampling at a single site returned specimens of live fauna that indicate the presence of a methane or cold seep sensitive (Figure 2). In particular, specimens of live tube worms (n=6) i.e. Siboglinidae, and a Sabellida worm i.e. Lammellibrachia sp. (n=1). The presence of the live fauna meet the definition of a single occurrence of one of the legislatively defined taxa for a methane or cold seep sensitive. In addition at this site, other recovered material included: dead valves (shells) of clams and mussels (Calyptogena sp., Bathymodiolus sp., Gigantidas sp.); shell hash; and other dead shell fragments. No further sampling occurred at this site. Fauna associated with methane or cold seep s can only exist where methane rich fluids are actively being expelled. Expulsion of methane rich fluids from the seabed maybe short- or long-lived, but our current understanding is that expulsion may fluctuate in time and location. Therefore, the associated methane or seep communities probably fluctuate. Sampling at ten sites recovered material that was non-living and/or not in occurrence or density sufficient to satisfy the definition of sensitive, (Figure 2). However, the material could indicate the previous, or potential presence, of fauna associated with sensitive s, and as such information was collated and no further sampling occurred at these sites. Table 1: Summary table of recorded returns Occurrence Live tube worms (n=6) i.e. Siboglinidae, and a single Sabellida worm i.e. Lammellibrachia sp.; Other recovered material included: dead valves (shells) of clams and mussels - Calyptogena sp., Bathymodiolus sp., Gigantidas sp. Whole single valves, poorly preserved, pitted valves, or valve fragments of Calyptogena sp. Associated with 1 of these sites were old worm tubes, potentially formed by Siboglinidae taxa a single point sample of dead coral fragments/rubble comprising Madrepora oculata a single point sample of dead coral fragments/rubble comprising Solenosmillia variabilis Number of sites Meets sensitive definition 1 Yes, does meet the definition of a methane or cold seep sensitive 6 No, does not meet the definition of a methane or cold seep sensitive 1 No, does not meet the definition of a stony coral, thickets or reefs sensitive 1 No, does not meet the definition of a stony coral, thickets or reefs sensitive a single sample of a Primnoella sp. 1 No, does not meet the definition of a stony coral, thickets or reefs sensitive two chaetopterid worm tubes in a single samples 1 No, does not meet the definition of a chaetopterid worm field sensitive Examples of the above organisms or indicators of organisms collected via sampling have been retained for lodgement within NIWA s National Invertebrate Collection, thus adding to information on the diversity of NZ s deep sea.

5 5 Figure 2: Location of sites within the survey area that returned fauna indicating a sensitive (n=1, yellow triangle), or returned indicators of a previous presence of fauna indicating a sensitive (n=9, green triangle).

6 6 Environmental footprint of the activity Estimate of the volume of material removed: The combined volume of all material removed is less than 1.65 m 3, comprising: 66 core deployments resulted in recovery of less than 1 m 3 (~0.71 m 3 ) of seafloor sediment; 13 dredge deployments resulted in recovery of less than 1 m 3 (~0.91 m 3 ) of seafloor material; Heat flow deployments do not recover material. Estimate of the areas of seabed affected by each component of, or sample taken as part of, the activity (m 2 ): The combined footprint of all seabed activities is less than km 2, comprising: 66 core deployments were conducted, coring results in a ~7 cm diameter core sample, thus impacting less than 1 m 2 (~0.25 m 2 ) of the seafloor in total; 80 heat flow seabed contacts were completed, similarly each impacting ~7 cm diameter, thus less than 1 m 2 (~0.31 m 2 ) of the seafloor in total; 13 dredge deployments were conducted, with a combined foot print of km 2. Details of measures taken to avoid, mitigate or remedy adverse effects on the sensitive Did you implement the contingency plan submitted to the EPA? Yes No Explain: Sampling at a single site returned the presence of live fauna that are indicators of a methane or cold seep sensitive. Sampling at ten other sites did not return live fauna that are indicators of sensitive s, but did return non-living remains e.g. shells, shell hash, coral rubble, worm tubes, indicating the previous presence of such fauna or potential sensitive. In addition, the recovered material was not in occurrence or density sufficient to satisfy the definition of such sensitive. Provide details of, and the reasons for, the measures taken to avoid, mitigate or remedy the effects of the activity: In accord with the contingency plan (Form 3 - Initial Environmental Assessment), in all instances where recovery of indicators of - or indicators of previous presence of - sensitive s occurred, no further sampling activities were conducted at the sample sites, thus avoiding further contact with any potential s at that site. Examples of organisms and indicators of organisms collected via sampling have been retained for lodgement within NIWA s National Invertebrate Collection, thus adding to information on the diversity of NZ s deep sea.

7 7 17 December 2015 Signature of authorised contact person Date Name: Helen Neil Title: Group Manager Ocean Sediments Note: A signature is not required for electronic ( ) forms.

Describe methods to be used to undertake the activity:

Describe methods to be used to undertake the activity: 3 Marine scientific research Alteration, extension or removal of a permitted marine structure Prospecting Discharge of sediments from iron sand prospecting and exploration Exploration Incidental discharge