Speech at premiere of Antarctica documentary

Speech for IPY-CAML documentary screening Penthouse Cinema, Brooklyn

Monday 8 June

First, I'd like to say that it's appropriate that we're here today - it's World Oceans Day.

New Zealand has long had links with Antarctic exploration and research.

Since the days of Scott and Shackleton, our country has been a waypoint for vessels exploring the wild Southern Ocean and the edges of the Antarctic continent.

52 years ago Scott Base was built in McMurdo Sound.

Since then, many New Zealanders have researched the natural world along the coastline and in the Ross Sea.

The Ministry of Fisheries has had a key role in several voyages to the Ross Sea region to learn about the diversity of sea life there, particularly in coastal areas and at the Balleny Islands that sit on the sea's northern edge.

In February last year, New Zealand's deep water research vessel Tangaroa headed south again, to build on that knowledge.

The voyage was New Zealand's contribution to a major International Polar Year project to complete a Census of Antarctic Marine Life around the continent.

The project was a fully collaborative approach both within New Zealand and internationally, and my officials are proud to have worked alongside colleagues in LINZ, Antarctica New Zealand, MFAT and NIWA to develop a comprehensive research project that will answer key questions about the Ross Sea ecosystem

This project involved 13 nations, each sampling marine biodiversity around the Antarctic during International Polar Year.

The scientists and crew on board the Tangaroa spent 51 days mapping and sampling all manner of living material at different locations in the Ross Sea.

They sampled the entire water column and everything living in it - from the phytoplankton in the surface waters, to creatures living on the sea floor.

Extensive filming of the seabed was carried out and inevitably some species that were new to science were discovered.

The research effort will run for another two years, but it's important to let the public know about the project.

All of us Kiwis have a little of the explorer in us, and I am sure many of you would love to have taken part in the voyage.

I'm delighted that the Ministry of Fisheries decided to put a professional film maker on board, in the hope of creating something that would make the science accessible to many more people.

Natural History New Zealand camera-man Max Quinn took up this challenge.

His brief was to record events as they unfolded and on his return develop a documentary about the voyage - showcasing the efforts of our scientists under the extremes of Antarctic conditions.

And tonight, we are here to enjoy the fruits of that achievement.

Before we do, I would like to introduce Dr Mary Livingston.

Dr Livingston led the Ministry's involvement, and we will also hear a few words from Max Quinn himself.