New Zealand businesses are enjoying the fruits of a booming cruise ship industry, as tonnes of food and drink are loaded aboard for luxury-loving passengers.

The number of seals which will die as a result of a brutal attack could be many more than the 23 found, a zoologist says.

Twenty-three seals, including eight newborn pups, were found clubbed to death on the Kaikoura coast. DoC believes the seals were attacked over a number of days.

Deep water fishing is firing at the moment, with large numbers of kingfish over deep pinnacles and reefs in the Hauraki Gulf.

When Tanu Filo heard his son's voice on the phone, he thought it was a miracle.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown wants to make an immediate start to build a cruise ship terminal on Captain Cook Wharf costing up to $200 million.

An inquiry has laid blame on both anti-whaling vessel Ady Gil and a Japanese whaling ship for their Southern Ocean crash earlier this year.