New Marine Charts for Fiordland, Abel Tasman, Akaroa Harbour

15 March 2008

New marine charts for several Fiordland sounds, the Abel Tasman coastline and Akaroa Harbour are in the pipeline. The new charts, expected in 2009, will be based on hydrographic surveying work being carried out for LINZ this summer.

Stuart Caie, a LINZ hydrographic data analyst, says new charts planned for Milford, Doubtful, Thompson, Dusky and Breaksea Sounds, and Nelson's Abel Tasman coastline, will be produced at a much larger scale than current charts. The survey of Akaroa Harbour will lead to an updated version of the present 1:30,000 chart for the area.

"This is an exciting time for us, with new multibeam sonar technology capable of producing highly detailed imagery of the seafloor being used for the Fiordland surveys."

This summer's survey work was instigated after LINZ established a programme which highlighted areas for surveying. "Some areas haven't been surveyed since 1952," says Stuart.

Two hydrographic survey companies are gathering data for the charts - Mount Maunganui-based Discovery Marine Ltd and Australian firm IXSurvey.

Adam Greenland, Hydrographic Services Team Leader, said considerable assistance with the survey work has been received from the harbourmasters of the regional and district councils, a relationship that LINZ is keen to maintain and develop.

LINZ is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting in New Zealand waters.

Hydrographic surveys are carried out to continually improve the data LINZ holds on New Zealand's seabed and foreshore. Data from these surveys is then used for publications including the Nautical Almanac and Notices to Mariners.

LINZ contracts out the survey work, which must meet international survey standards, to the Royal New Zealand Navy and commercial survey companies.