Tropical waters are typically less rich in nutrients than the temperate water around New Zealand, meaning less baitfish are available. As a result the kingis can be more slender, and often turn to eating juvenile petrels.

The pristine waters around the Kermadec Islands need protection from fishing, mining and other extractive activities. The 620,000-square-kilometre Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary was announced in 2015, but has been stuck in a legal battle with commercial fishers ever since.