A controversial law change which would limit protest near deep-sea oil and gas operations has been debated for the first time in a heated Parliamentary session.

One of the sunniest summers in more than 50 years saw almost 600 extra people rescued from NZ beaches during the patrol season compared to the year before.

Ports of Auckland is making a fresh bid to extend the city's port into the Waitemata Harbour after a public backlash last year sunk plans to expand 283m into the harbour.

A colony of Antarctic penguins could be excused for feeling like climate change's big winners.

Danielle Wright takes a sneak peek under water in a glass-bottom boat at New Zealand's first marine reserve, at Leigh.

Divers have joined the search for a 73-year-old yachtie who went missing in mysterious circumstances last night.

A New Zealander rescued from a stricken yacht in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has been left penniless after thieves stripped her vessel when it washed up in Australia.

Thirty years after their impressive debut, the first three Elliott 5.9s are still racing competitively and will be taking part in this weekend's Auckland Regatta.

Shark scientist Riley Elliott says people can swim with sharks without being attacked – they just have to know how.

A towering Queen Mary 2 was dwarfed by the huge mountains and stunning landscape as it cruised into the Fiordland National Park.

Excitement filled the air and the sea at the Offshore Powerboat races yesterday.

I don't know about you, but when I think of Maine I conjure up images of snow, freezing cold winds and revoltingly rough seas.

Volunteers cleaning Dunedin's beaches for Sea Week were dismayed to find someone had been using the beach as a personal rubbish dump.

While the world is focused on the dramatic campaign to stop Japanese whaling in Antarctic waters, conservationists are focused on a less known threat to marine mammals. And this time the target is the US Navy.

The difficulties in getting foreign vessels to adhere to NZ standards before going out to sea has been highlighted by a coroner's report into the sinking of Oyang 70.

An estimated 2.4 tonnes of drifting sea lettuce is entering Tauranga's Waikareao Estuary on each cycle of the tide during the worst affected times of the year.

Shark attacks have a profound effect on those who face the ferocity. After last week's shock death of Adam Strange, Amelia Wade talks to three survivors of ocean savagery.

Apart from being a worthy sink for Clive Palmer's pesky extra billions, you're unlikely ever to find a more apt symbol for our times, writes John McCrystal.

More than a dozen tall ships and 1000 sailors will call into Auckland for a three-day festival over Labour Weekend, starting on October 25 with a mass arrival and welcoming flotilla.

Thirteen children were among 79 people in the Bay of Plenty caught not wearing lifejackets as they headed out to sea this summer.

Sharks are being slaughtered at an unsustainable rate, with a new study showing 100 million are killed a year.