High-tech vessel back to map Marlborough Sounds seabed

A high-tech vessel will return to the Marlborough Sounds next week to continue a multi-million dollar seabed mapping project.

The research has been granted an extra $3 million from the Marlborough District Council (MDC) and $2m from Land Information NZ (LINZ) to map the Te Hoiere/ Pelorus Sound, Te Aumiti/ French Pass and Admiralty Bay.

In 2017 the group carried out a $1.5m survey of To¯taranui/queen Charlotte Sound and Kura Te Au/tory Channel.

LINZ’S group manager for hydrography Rebecca Mcatamney said about eight people – surveyors, vessel crew and support staff – would use high-tech equipment to collect detailed 3D images of the seabed.

She said the survey team aboard a custom built 7.8 metre Senator vessel mapped the seafloor using echo sounders, motion sensors, GPS and other equipment.

Marlborough mayor John Leggett said the data collected would be helpful for navigational purposes, to make informed decisions around resource management and marine biodiversity.

‘‘The data will be used to update navigational charts [maps] for the many commercial and recreational mariners who operate in the area,’’ Leggett said.

‘‘It will vastly improve our marine spatial planning ability and we will be better informed and able to make the right decisions about the long-term future of the Marlborough Sounds.

‘‘The data will also inform environmental management of the Sounds, and support MDC and local iwi to make informed decisions around resource management and marine biodiversity,’’ he said.

Mcatamney said the researchers from LINZ and MDC would be surveying ‘‘approximately 27,000 hectares’’ of the sea floor over the next six months.