Restoring bull kelp would not only benefit marine life but also sustain coastal ecosystems, as decaying kelp nourishes beach habitats and seabirds.
However, Puget Sound’s bull kelp forests have declined by more than 90% in the past 150 years due to warming waters, pollution and habitat degradation. Rising ocean temperatures are a major factor, as kelp struggles to survive in increasingly warm conditions.
“We know in general that temperature changes — high temperatures are not good for bull kelp,” Hansen said.
Other threats include sedimentation, which blocks sunlight needed for growth, and disruptions in nutrient circulation caused by El Niño events. Unlike California’s kelp forests, where sea urchins contribute
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