Several major marine protected areas (MPAs) are coming into effect around the world in 2026, marking significant progress toward international targets for ocean protection. New or expanding reserves in French Polynesia, Chile, Greece and New Zealand together represent millions of square kilometres of ocean receiving stronger conservation status.

William T. White and his team of researchers described the distinct characteristics of the roughback bristle shark through meticulous examination of its size, colouring, body structure, texture, dental arrangement, egg cases, and genetic makeup, and published their their study in the journal Fishes. Residing at astonishing depths between 2,200 feet and 3,900 feet, the newfound shark species has, thus far, exclusively inhabited the waters off the western coast of New Zealand's North Island. 

A global breakthrough in recording manta ray information has been made by an Auckland University doctoral candidate. In a study entitled “How Big Is That Manta Ray?” published in Drones, Edy Setyawan outlined how a drone camera, with the addition of a PVC pipe in the ocean, can be utilised to accurately measure the world’s largest ray species. “I could see that from the drone there was some size variation, some mantas, they are bigger than the others,” said Setyawan. “It’s quite cheap using a small drone, but it can give us a big impact on manta ray conservation.”

Dive! Tutukaka posted the following on their Facebook page.

"Jeroen Jongejans, owner and founder of Dive! Tutukaka passed away suddenly last night. He was on the water, in his happy place - paddle boarding in Tūtūkākā Harbour. We are all struggling to come to terms with this loss. 

In November 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in New Zealand triggered underwater mudslides in the underwater canyon off the coastline. This led to high-velocity currents to flush 850 tonnes of sediment from the canyon into the ocean.

This "canyon flushing" caused what was once a diverse ecosystem of invertebrates along the Kaikoura underwater canyon to become as "quiet as a desert."

A paper in the Deep Sea Research Part I journal describes how sperm whales were subsequently affected by the quake and how they changed their foraging habits as a result.

A New Zealand parliamentary select committee has raised concerns about the potential human risk from shark cage diving around Stewart Island. The Local Government and Environment Committee published a report considering a petition calling for the Department of Conservation (DOC) to immediately and permanently cease shark diving. The petition was created by Stewart Island resident Helen Cave and signed by 768 people.

Residents of Stewart Island, New Zealand have pleaded for politicians to halt shark cage diving in their waters. The residents and paua divers have expressed fears that the cage diving is attracting great white sharks to the area and putting them at risk, saying they live in fear of a fatal shark attack.