Presentations

Moana Auckland Sustainability Expo As Part of Moana Auckland Festival 2025

Laura Torre’s presentation, “The Historic Catches from the Whangaparapara Whaling Station on Aotea, Great Barrier Island – Lessons from the Past,” explores a little-known piece of New Zealand’s post-WWII history. Focusing on the humpback whale catches conducted within set quotas at Whangaparapara, Laura highlights historical insights often overlooked in contemporary discussions. Her talk clarifies the causes behind the subsequent collapse of New Zealand’s humpback whale populations, identifying illegal Soviet whaling activities in the Southern Ocean as the primary driver. Through this historical perspective, Laura emphasizes the importance of understanding past events to inform current marine conservation practices.

AMSA & NZMSS 2024 Conference

We attended the AMSA & NZMSS 2024 Conference, where marine scientists and managers from across Australia, New Zealand, and the Indo-Pacific came together to advance our understanding of the region’s unique marine environment during a period of uncertainty.

The conference theme, Navigating Uncertainty for a Future Sustainable Ocean, brought scientists and managers together to discuss the latest research guiding society towards a sustainable ocean future. With predictions that the coming year would be the warmest on record and multiple climate records being broken, there was significant uncertainty about the implications for the environment, economy, culture, and society. As a scientific community, we provided managers, policymakers, and politicians with high-quality science and advice on what actions are necessary.

This 58th annual AMSA conference, combined with the NZMSS conference, was held from September 15-20, 2024, in Nipaluna, Hobart, Tasmania. Hobart, known as the capital of marine science, is home to CSIRO, the Australian Antarctic Division, the University of Tasmania, the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, and the Centre for Marine Socioecology. With more marine scientists per capita than anywhere else in Australia, Hobart was an ideal location to unite scientists and managers from Australia and New Zealand to discuss and learn how we as a community can navigate an uncertain future and work towards a sustainable ocean.

This international marine science forum welcomed the sharing of traditional knowledge alongside western science, creating a solid foundation for understanding marine ecosystems and informing marine management decisions. AMSA 2024 also fostered student and early-career researcher participation, providing a platform for professional development and networking in a supportive, inclusive space. AMSA and NZMSS meetings promoted a culture of inclusion, bringing together a diverse range of delegates working across all fields of marine science, conservation, and management.

AMSA 2023

NZMSS 2021 Conference

Title: The unknown whaling station: Data from Great Barrier Island station, Hauraki Gulf, Auckland.

Authors: Torre, L and Martinez, E

Presentation type: Poster

Abstract:

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were once very abundant in New Zealand waters (Dawbin 1956) but are now infrequently sighted. Most whaling data on this species were recorded at Tory Channel whaling station, Cook Strait, South Island, NZ, during the northern migration. In contrast, little has been reported from catches taken during the northern and southern migrations at the Whangaparapara whaling station, Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf, North Island, NZ. Furthermore, there is a paucity of data reported for humpbacks harvested during the southern migration (IWC 2010).

This study aimed to examine historical whaling data and occurrence of humpback whales in the Hauraki Gulf; and compare, when possible, the Whangaparapara and Tory Channel data sets. A total of 317 humpback whales were taken at Whangaparapara whaling station from 1956 to 1962, comprising 64.7% males (n=205) and 35.3% females (n=112). The majority, 88.6% (n=281) of individuals were harvested during the northern migration, including 3.6% females (n=10), with near term foetuses. Large catches were recorded in 1959 (n=104) and 1960 (n=135), which equate to 48.6% and 59.7% respectively, of the catch taken at Tory Channel during that year. All whales taken on the southern migration in 1959 (n=33) had fresh shrimp/prawns recorded in their stomach contents.

Humpbacks were hunted extensively in the region until the population collapsed. Despite protection by the IWC in 1963, NZ humpbacks are not yet considered recovered. This study provides new insights into historic migratory behaviour and use of the Hauraki Gulf by humpback whales, which can inform the conservation and recovery of this remnant population.

Scientific Reports

L Torre-Williams, E. Martinez, J.O. Meynecke, J. Reinke, and K.A. Stockin (2019). Presence of newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calves in Gold Coast Bay, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology, 52(5): 199-216.

L Torre-Williams. (2018). MSc Thesis: First insights into the presence of newborn humpback whale calves and the importance of education programmes in the Gold Coast Bay.

Torre L (2012). Historic perspective and opportunistic sightings of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Massey University Special Topic Report.

Scientific Oral, Poster, and Workshop Presentations

Torre-Williams L and Hou W. (2024). Oral presentation: Mugging behaviour in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). When whales come to visit – a case study from the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Society of Marine Mammalogy Conference. Perth, Western Australia, Aus.

Torre-Williams L, Achour S, Meynecke JO, and Martinez E. (2024). Oral presentation: Does whale-watching and education lead to more ocean conservation by tourists? A case study from the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Joint Australian Marine Sciences Association and New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Conference. Hobart, Tasmania, Aus.

Torre-Williams L, Meynecke JO, Kwan A., and Martinez E. (2023). Oral presentation: Newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calves in the Gold Coast Bay, Queensland, Australia. Australian Marine Sciences Association Conference. Gold Coast, Qld.

Torre-Williams L, Meynecke JO, Kwan A, and Martinez E. (2023). Oral presentation: Presence and movement of mother and newborn calves sighted in Gold Coast Bay, Australia. Symposium – Marine mammals in a changing world. 6th International EcoSummit Building a Sustainable and Desirable Future: EcoSummit Conference. Gold Coast, Australia.

Torre-Williams L, Meynecke J.O., and Martinez E (2022). Oral Presentation: Are Mothers with Newborn Calves Continuing their Migration? GPS Track Movements from Gold Coast Bay, Australia. Society of Marine Mammalogy Conference. Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

Torre-Williams L, Reinke J, Meynecke J.O., and Martinez E (2019). Oral Presentation: East Australian humpback whales calving on the northern migration: evidence from the Gold Coast Bay, QLD, Australia. World Marine Mammal Conference. Barcelona, Spain.

Torre-Williams L, Reinke J, Meynecke J.O., Martinez E, and Stockin, K.A. (2019). Oral Presentation: Newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) observations in the Gold Coast Bay, Queensland, Australia. Presented at the World Whale Conference. Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia.

Torre-Williams L. (2019). Sex under the Sea: Migration, Mating and Motherhood. Australia Science Week Presentation. Gold Coast, Australia.

Torre-Williams L, Reinke J, Meynecke J.O., Martinez E, and Stockin, K (2018). Poster Presentation: Humpback whales calving on the northern migration or a southern extension to the known calving grounds: a case study from the Gold Coast Bay, Queensland, Australia. Presented at American Cetacean Society Conference. 2018. Whales and Us: The Next Generation. Newport Beach, California, USA.

Torre-Williams L, Reinke J, Meynecke J.O., Martinez E, and Stockin, K.A. (2018). Oral Presentation: Newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) observations in the Gold Coast Bay, Queensland, Australia. Presented at the Australia Marine Sciences Association Conference. 2018. Canyons to Coast. Adelaide, Australia.

Torre-Williams L, Reinke J, Meynecke J.O., Martinez E, and Stockin, K.A. (2017). Oral Presentation: Newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf observations outside of known calving grounds in the Gold Coast Bay, Queensland, Australia. Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Torre-Williams, L., Meynecke, JO, Martinez, E and Stockin, KA. (2016). Poster: The role of onboard education in the whale watch industry. A case study from the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. New Zealand and Australian Marine Sciences Association Joint Conference. Wellington, NZ.

Torre-Williams, L. (2016). Poster: Wai Care: Working together to improve water quality and restore the habitat of the Old Wairoa Stream at McLennan Park, Papakura, New Zealand. New Zealand Association of Environmental Educators Conference. Auckland, NZ.

Torre-Williams, L., Meynecke, JO, Martinez, E and Stockin, KA. (2015) Poster: Where have the humpback whales gone? Historic catches/ opportunistic sightings of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference. Dunedin, NZ. Marine mammal tourism all-day workshop, cetacean mass stranding response all-day workshop.

Torre L (2013). Workshop: Marine Mammals of the Hauraki Gulf. Environmental Service Unit, Auckland Council.