Information regarding hydrophone systems operated by the Navy

RC made this Official Information request to Judith Collins

Response to this request is delayed. By law, Judith Collins should normally have responded promptly and by November 25, 2024 (details and exceptions)

From: RC

October 27, 2024

Dear Hon. Judith Collins,
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology and Minister of Defence.

In a recent report commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment entitled Information stocktakes of fifty-five environmental attributes across air, soil, terrestrial, freshwater, estuaries and coastal waters domains (https://environment.govt.nz/publications...) , it is noted in section 9 subsection 10 part B.1 (Underwater noise / ocean sound) that "the Royal New Zealand navy has an array of hydrophones off Great Barrier Island, starting in 1961" and that it "could represent an important long-term monitoring database"

It is clear that hydrophone data is invaluable for marine research.

I have the following questions for the minister.

1) How extensive is New Zealands hydrophone monitoring system?
2) Is the data recorded, especially historical data stretching back to the implementation of these systems?
3) Has the Navy or the MOD conducted any assessments as to the feasibility of publishing this data or making it available to vetted researchers within New Zealand?
4) What is the ministers position on making this data public or accessible to researchers?

Yours faithfully,
RC

Link to this

From: Judith Collins (MIN)
Judith Collins

October 27, 2024

Thank you for contacting Hon Judith Collins KC MP, Attorney-General,
Minister of Defence, Minister for Digitising Government, Minister
Responsible for the GCSB, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS, Minister of
Science, Innovation, & Technology, Minister for Space, and Lead
Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal
Commission's Report into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques.
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