Kelp forests are considered to be among the most productive ecosystems in the ocean, kelp forests disappearing, however, climate change, overfishing, and pollution have contributed to roughly 60 percent of wild kelp forests being affected.
Why should we care about them?
According to a 2023 study, kelp forests cover approximately 2.8 million square miles, which is more than the size of the Amazon rainforest, generating around $500 billion annually through fisheries, coastal defense, food, and carbon capture.
What is causing their demise?
- Marine heatwaves: This is the largest cause of kelp destruction nowadays. One known example is the 2013-2017 heatwave, dubbed The Blob, which did major harm to California.
- Urchin swarms: The population of purple sea urchins grew exponentially as a result of the death of its predator – sea stars – and they created a desert of sea urchins.
- Destruction is permanent: After a forest has turned into a desert, the chances of recovery are slim according to specialists.
Losses: A Devastating Picture
- Northern California: Some areas saw as much as 95 percent loss in kelp forest.
- Other places: There are losses recorded of around 80 percent or even more in places such as Norway, Tasmania, Mexico and Maine, among others.
- Monterey Bay: There’s a reduction of more than half the amount of kelp in this bay by 51% .
- What awaits us: There might be 16 times more heatwaves in some parts of the planet by the end of the century.
Can Anything Be Done? – kelp forests disappearing
Kelp which was deeper down in the ocean was still able to survive in Monterey Bay. In the Palos Verde area, divers restored 80 acres of kelp forests by killing sea urchins. In South Korea, there was restoration of around 50,000 acres’ worth of kelp. However, only 3 percent of the floating kelp is in marine protected areas.
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