"Challenge and Hope in the Kelp Kingdom"
By Mary Jane Schramm
Just a decade ago, the Sonoma-Mendocino coast’s cool waters hosted dense forests of kelp, a large seaweed that provided vital habitat for myriad marine species: ecologically and commercially valuable fish and invertebrates that generate major revenues, plus seals, sea lions and seabirds. But in 2011 a deadly cascade of events initiated the collapse of the kelp forest ecosystem with a resulting catastrophic die-off of many creatures that depended on it for habitat and sustenance.
TOXIC SHOCK: A proliferation of toxic marine algae and sea star wasting disease removed key species in maintaining ecosystem balance. Ocean warming had already begun, but spiked suddenly in 2014 when warm water from Alaska reached Northern California and hunkered down for two years; simultaneously, El Nino thrust warm equatorial waters northward, compounding the heat. The ocean’s bounty faltered, sea lions stranded, and massive seabird die-offs resulted. The survivor in this grim scenario was the purple sea urchin, admirably equipped to survive in the most challenging conditions: they increased 60-fold. Their unchecked overgrazing reduced the kelp forest to a barren of stubble, devoid of many species. These cumulative stresses proved too much, and the system collapsed. A huge biomass of marine life was lost along with the disappearing kelp.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE: In response, state and federal resource managers, researchers, conservation groups, tribes, fishermen, and others united to halt and reverse this decline. Principals include the nonprofit Greater Farallones Association, the leader in developing the Sonoma-Mendocino Bull Kelp Recovery Plan, in partnership with NOAA’s Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary . To inform these activities, the State of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife and Ocean Protection Council contributed its 20-year, ongoing baseline data on the region’s marine life and environmental conditions. The Nature Conservancy conducted drone surveys to monitor priority sites, covering thousands of acres of Mendocino and Sonoma County coastal waters in 2019 and 2020; further surveys are planned this year. The Bodega Marine Laboratory is conducting research on kelp resiliency.
BEST BETS: Some of the most direct and promising strategies include sea urchin removal, and Reef Check currently orchestrates and oversees local divers who carefully hand-remove and vacuum up purple urchins. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories is involved in out-planting young lab-reared kelp to select sites. Culturing and reintroducing sea stars - the urchin’s primary predator - is happening through The Nature Conservancy and Friday Harbor Marine Laboratory programs.
This September, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and the Greater Farallones Association will conduct a restoration site assessment cruise consisting of ecosystem and kelp surveys and other activities. They hope to engage youth in kelp restoration programs, and they may incorporate stranded kelp surveys in their Beach Watch program.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: To date these projects have been modest in scale. But the Greater Farallones Association issued an SOS to Congressman Jared Huffman, and in July he introduced the Keeping Ecosystems Living and Productive, “KELP Act.” It would establish a NOAA grant program to fund restoration and management projects on the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. This funding will be critical to the project’s success. Over four years it would disburse $200 million for grants to local tribes, academic researchers, the fishing industry, nonprofits, and state agencies. The Farallones association’s Rietta Hohman states, “The KELP Act’s passage will provide the funding for more ‘on the ground’ efforts to keep this collaboration going.”
WARMING OCEANS: The role of climate change in this scenario will continue to represent the major long-term challenge. But while daunting, the strength of these collaborations, with the support of government and other funding, can help allow nature to heal itself. And little infusion of cool water from an obliging La Nina would be much appreciated, too.
For more information, see A kelp update (Apr. 2021) for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. A kelp recovery video from Earth is Blue
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/scientists-now-link-massive-starfish-die-off-warming-ocean/
