The Tasman Sea is an official Hope Spot designated by Mission Blue. The Tasman Sea is the stretch of the South Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand, approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) across. It extends 2,800 km (approx.) from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European to encounter New Zealand and Tasmania. There are several different islands in the Tasman Sea, including Lord Howe Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Tasman Sea is also home to several critically important coral reefs such as Middleton Reef, a biodiversity hotspot. The reef is home to endangered black cod, Galapagos sharks, and hundreds of other species of reef fish. Source: Wikipedia