NOAA’s Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries and NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation and the Greater Farallones Association, along with several partners, are taking bold actions to restore bull kelp forests in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary at four sites on the Sonoma Coast.
The Sonoma-Mendocino Bull Kelp Restoration Plan, based on recommendations from the Sanctuary Advisory Council, continues to guide kelp restoration in the sanctuary. NOAA has a strong commitment to restoration and the NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation has awarded $4.9 million to Greater Farallones Association for kelp restoration efforts, in addition to $2 million appropriated from congressionally designated community funds. The National Marine Sanctuary System protects our nation’s most significant natural and cultural marine areas and as such, are high priority areas for ecosystem restoration efforts. Kelp forests are economically, ecologically, and culturally important habitats that are essential to restore. Kelp provides valuable habitat for a variety of nearshore invertebrate and fish species, transports significant amounts of carbon to the deep sea for long-term storage, and is valuable to local communities and the economy.
Need for Action
Persistent marine heat waves due to climate change, and loss of urchin predators due to widespread sea star wasting disease (sunflower sea stars), have made bull kelp in and around Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary vulnerable to local extinction. In 2014–2016, more than 90% of bull kelp forest habitat in Northern California was lost, affecting the Sonoma Coast most severely, leaving several species of fish, invertebrates, and even marine mammals and birds without shelter and food sources. The effort to bring kelp back to the Greater Farallones shores requires long-term collaboration with partners. In response to catastrophic loss of kelp, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Greater Farallones Association are leading collaborative efforts with experts to restore this vital ecosystem.
Restoration for Resilience
The plan is to establish a network of resilient kelp beds that replenish nearshore kelp spore availability to increase habitat for invertebrate and fish species. This will be accomplished by removing purple urchins from decimated kelp beds along the Sonoma coast and “seed” kelp using spores collected from nearby resilient kelp beds. The goal for restoration is to establish a network of resilient kelp by defending and increasing the size of remnant kelp beds that can withstand ocean change at strategic areas of the coastline where kelp has historically been abundant.
Research and Restoration Methods
The kelp restoration project is carrying out research in partnership with several other organizations. Research includes:
- Understanding and characterizing oceanographic properties in the nearshore environment where kelp lives
- Identifying suitable restoration locations
- Identifying natural barriers on the seafloor to urchins (e.g., sand bars)
- Testing and monitoring the effectiveness of various outplanting techniques
- Removing urchins from restoration sites and monitoring outcomes
- Cultivating spores in the lab for outplanting in the ocean.
There are several other studies coinciding at the same time with different collaborators and partners.
Our research has demonstrated that mapping kelp beds with uncrewed aircraft systems (drones) provides a cost-effective method for assessing kelp canopy. Learn more about remote sensing tools for mapping and monitoring kelp forests along the West Coast.
A scientist dries freshly collected kelp sori (the reproductive portion on the blades) that will be used for restoration in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Angela Zepp/NOAA/GFA
A kelp restoration specialist assesses the condition of bull kelp wrack that has washed ashore. Photo: Angela Zepp/NOAA/GFA
Bull kelp produce sori on the blades which are released into the ocean to start the reproductive cycle. Photo: Abby Nickels
As part of the restoration project, kelp is cultured in tanks at UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab. Photo: Rachael Karm/SSU
Where is Restoration Occurring?
Fort Ross was chosen as a restoration site because it is relatively easy to access by boat, has relatively high historical kelp persistence, is protected from currents and waves, and has distinct areas of reef with nearby sand bars that serve as a natural urchin barrier.
Timber Cove, Ocean Cove, and Stillwater Cove are identified as areas with higher kelp habitat restoration potential and accessibility for kelp restoration scientists to conduct work.
Partners Working Together
The effort to put kelp forests on track for recovery is an enormous undertaking, requiring collaboration between many partners, who are working together to save these important, iconic resources. These efforts are being led by Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Greater Farallones Association.
Several other partners are collaborating on this project, including: local commercial divers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Ocean Science Trust, California Sea Grant, California State Parks, California State University of Monterey Bay, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, Fort Ross Conservancy, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Moss Landing Marine Lab, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation, Ocean Protection Council, Point Reyes National Seashore, California State University/Sonoma State University, California State University/San Jose State University, Stanford University, The Nature Conservancy, UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab, UC Davis Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute, UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC Santa Cruz, UC Los Angeles, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
