One of these losses was the wreck of the SS Tararua in 1881—the worst maritime disaster for civilian vessels in New Zealand's history, with 131 fatalities.

[3][4] This claim is also supported by the gravel patterns in the strait, which are distinguishable by petrographis analyses of the pebbles, that confirm the existence of dryland.

[9] The climate of the Foveaux Strait region is severe by New Zealand standards with daily average temperatures of around 14 °C in summer, and 5.3 °C in winter.

[17] Many whaling ships used Port William on the northwest coast of Steward Island as shelter when there was strong westerlies or severe sea conditions in Foveaux Strait.

[21] The combination of wind, tides and seafloor topography in Foveaux Strait can lead to steep waves, dangerous overfalls and tidal rips.

[28][29] Smith's chart was given to Governor of New South Wales, Philip Gidley King, who did not make it public, even though he was duty bound to communicate all hydrographic discoveries to the Admiralty.

He described the strait as being about 36 to 40 miles (58 to 64 km) in width, and "with very dangerous navigation from the numerous rocks, shoals and little islands, with which it is crowded".

The waka Tākitimu, captained by Tamatea, was wrecked near Te Waewae Bay on the shores of what is now called Foveaux Strait.

[43] The pre-colonial population is estimated at 350 Māori on the northern side of the strait, spread between the modern-day settlement of Bluff and Ruapuke Island.

Stewart Island had about 85 Māori, primarily occupying Horseshoe Bay and an area referred to as Te Wehi-a-Te-Wera, a narrow peninsula of the entrance of Paterson Inlet.

[44][45] In the early 19th century, Honekai, a Māori chief in the Foveaux Strait region, declared that Ngāi Tahu women and European sealers could stay together in Whenua Hou, 3 km (1.9 mi) west Stewart Island, under his protection, making it one of New Zealand's first multiracial communities.

[47] In March 1770, Captain James Cook, a British explorer, circumnavigated the South Island on the HMS Endeavour during his first voyage to New Zealand.

He passed around the southern tip of Stewart Island during this voyage, and sighted the area of Foveaux Strait, but did not record the presence of a passage.

[28] It is also possible that Cook genuinely made an error, as his focus was on finding the southern extent of New Zealand, and conditions were unfavourable for more closely exploring the possible strait.

The first Europeans known to have hunted seals in Southland were the crew of James Cook's vessel, the HMS Resolution, during her stay in Dusky Sound in 1773.

In one voyage to the strait from their base at Port Jackson (Sydney) in September 1808, the Governor Bligh, captained by John Grono, returned with 10,000 skins.

[49] Some sealing gangs spent months or years in the region and there was increased contact and trade between sealers and Māori living in the area.

[53][54] The western entrance of the Foveaux Strait (near the Solander Islands) was formerly described as "one of the world's prime sperm whale fishing ground".

[60][61] Serious incidents with multiple fatalities have continued into the 21st century, and the Bluff Coastguard is often called upon to assist vessels in distress in Foveaux Strait.

The Rakiura (offshore) IBA recognises that the region has significant populations of seven species of globally threatened birds meeting the IBA criteria: Fiordland penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, northern royal albatross, Cook's petrel, mottled petrel, sooty shearwater, and the endemic Foveaux shag.

The species with the largest numbers in the region is the sooty shearwater, with an estimated population of between 100,000 and 500,000 birds on the northern Tītī / Muttonbird Islands alone.

[84] Approximately 50 species of cetaceans (porpoises, dolphins and whales) and pinnipeds (sea lions and seals) are found in New Zealand waters.

[85] A breeding colony of the endanged New Zealand sea lion has recently established at the southern end of Stewart Island.

[92] Another endemic insect in the region is the Foveaux looper moth (Asaphodes frivola) which is a critically endangered moth, occurring in a very narrow and specialised habitat at just two small coastal sites near Invercargill, it occurs along a small area of the Southland coast, in fragmented strips of short tussock grassland right next to shell or gravel beaches.

It has large tanks, and uses water from the strait to raise popular New Zealand species including hāpuku, kingfish, whitebait and pāua.

[116] In May 2021, a seafood company owned by Ngāi Tahu applied for consents to establish salmon farms in Foveaux Strait.

[118] The first scheduled service across Foveaux Strait began in 1877 for weekly mail delivery, but soon also carried passengers and general cargo.

Vessels travelling between international ports may pass through Foveaux Strait based on the rights of innocent passage defined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

[133][134] In 1998, a Southern Air Cessna ditched into Foveaux Strait on a trip from Stewart Island to Invercargill after losing power to both engines, resulting in five deaths.

[135][136] Few people have swum across the Foveaux Strait, mostly due to the unpredictable weather conditions and great white sharks residing in the area.