National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Observes Massive Phytoplankton Bloom Near Chatham Islands

Key facts

• The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-20 satellite captured images of a phytoplankton bloom encircling the Chatham Islands on January 10, 2026.
• The Chatham Islands are situated on the Chatham Rise, an underwater plateau that extends eastward from the South Island of New Zealand and separates areas of deeper water.
• Phytoplankton blooms are common in this region where cold, nutrient-rich currents from the Antarctic and warm, nutrient-poor water from the subtropics converge.
• The well-mixed water and long daylight hours in the austral summer boost phytoplankton populations, which serve as the base of the local food web.
• The waters around the islands support productive fisheries for species such as pāua, rock lobster, and blue cod, as well as five seal species and 25 whale and dolphin species.
• Despite the biological abundance, the Chatham Islands are a known hotspot for whale and dolphin strandings, where hundreds of animals are sometimes beached.