The High risk site surveillance programme for non-indigenous marine species, delivered by NIWA under contract to Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), is designed to detect the presence of a group of non-indigenous or potentially invasive marine animals and plants that MPI have identified as presenting a significant risk of arriving and establishing in New Zealand. A variety of techniques designed to sample a range of habitat types encompassing soft and hard surface habitats such as mud and gravel bottoms, intertidal rocky shores, and artificial structures, including marina pontoons, pilings, moorings, jetties and commercial vessel berths were used. The sampling techniques include crab condo lines, crab box traps, starfish traps, epibenthic sled tows, and diver and shore searches. These surveys have been undertaken biannually since 2002 in up to 11 ports and harbours in New Zealand.