Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Annual Review 2012

AEBAR 2012: Appendices: Past projects
Roadmaps for Science were published by MRST for Energy Research (December 2006), Nanoscience
& Nanotechnologies (February 2007), Biotechnology Research (March 2007), and Environment
Research (June 2007). Probably the most relevant of these is that for Environment Research which
can be found at MRST’s website at:
http://www.msi.govt.nz/update-me/archive/publications-archive/
(if you would like to request a copy of this publication, please email info@msi.govt.nz).
It is important to note that these roadmaps relate primarily to research funded by the erstwhile
Foundation for Research Science and Technology (FRST, now also part of MBIE) and much less to
applied, operational research purchased by the Ministry of Fisheries and some other government
departments. However, the Environmental Roadmap for Science noted that environmental
management decisions increasingly require an understanding of whole system processes and a multidimensional
approach. More integrated and systems-based approaches can offer environmental
managers and decision-makers answers to many of the questions they are facing. A crucial task then
becomes one of creating a New Zealand science environment within which systems-based approaches
can develop and flourish, acknowledging that small-scale studies remain important to underpin these
approaches. MRST identified three overarching themes that require additional focus: systems
understanding and integration (e.g., ecosystem aspects of fisheries management); transfer and uptake
(including adaptive management to advance scientific understanding); and information systems
(including management of databases and collections.
From a suite of six key research areas (global environmental change, land, water and coasts, including
the coastal marine area, urban design and hazards, biosecurity, biodiversity, and oceanic systems),
MRST identified five key research directions, two of which are of most relevance to fisheries
interests:
Direction 4: Over the next few years, the government will give priority to developing more integrated
multidisciplinary approaches, and to improving transfer, uptake and information systems in the
following areas:
• global environmental change – with a focus on providing the knowledge for integrated
ecological, physical and socio-economic modelling of climate change impacts on water and
soil resources, land use, biosecurity, biodiversity and potential global impacts;
• land, water and coasts – with a focus on sustainable land and coastal aquatic use, including
the impacts of land use on freshwater and the impacts of freshwater, land management and
aquatic production on coastal marine environments;
• biosecurity – reflecting the directions set in the Biosecurity Science Research and Technology
Strategy.
Direction 5: Over the longer-term, the government will focus on more integrated multidisciplinary
approaches, and improved transfer and uptake, and information systems in the biodiversity and
oceanic systems areas.
MRST believes that the Environmental Science Roadmap will make a difference by:
• Equipping environmental managers with integrated research results and tools which will help
them avoid, remedy or mitigate future environmental problems.
• Enhancing New Zealand’s potential as a test bed and world leader for new innovations and
business developments in environmental technologies.
• Improved predictions of and responses to natural hazards events.
• Improved responses to climate change.
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