September 8, 2014 - Prince Edward Islands, south Indian Ocean

Prince Edward Islands, south Indian Ocean

South Africa’s Prince Edward Islands are made up of two jewel-like islands floating in the remote Southern Ocean. Marion Island is the larger of the two, with an area of about 112 square miles (290 sq km); Prince Edward Island is the smaller. The island group is located almost 1,243 mi (2,000 km) south-east of Cape Town and 155 mi (250 km) north of the Antarctic Polar front, and is considered one of the most pristine sub Antarctic islands of significant size.

These small and remote volcanic islands loom large in importance for marine conservation. The Prince Edward Islands are home to a stunning array of marine wildlife, including penguins, killer whales, albatrosses and an important stock of Patagonian toothfish. Also called Chilean Seabass, this slowly reproducing delicacy provides the most important fishery in Antarctic and sub Antarctic waters. Three species of seal bread here, four species of penguin, five species of Albatross, and 14 species of petrels. The islands support 33% of the world population of sub-Antarctic Fur Seals and 44% of all Wandering Albatross.

In April of 2013, South Africa declared the Prince Edward Islands a Marine Protected Area (MP). At that time, The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs stated that “the new MPA is intended, among other things, to contribute to the protection of unique species, habitats and ecosystem processes. It will also provide scientific reference points that can inform the future management of the area and to be able to understand better the impacts of climate change on the whole Southern Ocean. It will also contribute to integrated and ecologically sustainable management of marine resources of the area.”

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true-color image of the Prince Edward Islands on August 25, 2014.

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 8/25/2014
Resolutions: 1km ( B), 500m ( B), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC