Collapse of kelp forests imperils North Coast ocean ecosystem

The coastal guys here have more to say about this than I do, but I've been amazed at the lack of kelp along the Humboldt coast these last couple years.  Sounds like we need to bonk some purple urchins!

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/5487602-181/collapse-of-kelp-forest-imperils?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=5713428504d3015dea256c9c&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&artslide=0

It's not just up here chris it's in socal too..both San Clemente Is. And la jolla had no kelp around wat so ever..warm waters

I think they need an emergency closure on all kelp harvesting.

Those of you up north, are you seeing any changes in the otter population? As you likely know, otters play a VERY important role by both eating urchins and keeping them in hiding down in cracks and crevices where they can't do as much damage.


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Those of you up north, are you seeing any changes in the otter population? As you likely know, otters play a VERY important role by both eating urchins and keeping them in hiding down in cracks and crevices where they can't do as much damage.


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We don't have otters.  That's part of the problem.

Last time I fished Moss Landing (last June I think?) there was a raft of probably 50 sea otters chillin near the jaws. Wish I could have scooped a load of them and trucked the north! (Joking,  kindof).


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Sea star wasting disease is what has really thrown us out of whack. The warm water promotes bacteria and viruses that hit all the predator species. The fish I caught this last trip were thin and hard to catch. At Timber cove there was 15-20 individual bull kelp. No forest... Scary out there! La nina flow next year is all we can ask for. get some cold water to kickstart the eco system..... See below

http://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/pacificrockyintertidal/data-products/sea-star-wasting/

Sea star wasting disease is what has really thrown us out of whack. The warm water promotes bacteria and viruses that hit all the predator species. The fish I caught this last trip were thin and hard to catch. At Timber cove there was 15-20 individual bull kelp. No forest... Scary out there! La nina flow next year is all we can ask for. get some cold water to kickstart the eco system..... See below

http://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/pacificrockyintertidal/data-products/sea-star-wasting/

Interesting. Hard to imagine starfish wasting isn't playing a part, too.

I read that sunflower sea stars are generally found around urchin barrens. Makes me wonder if they're attracted to the barren after the fact or if they help prevent them in the first place?

Imagine how crappy it could get if sea stars learned to farm urchins like ants farm aphids!

This winter saw a steady train of unusually large swells, at least down here towards Monterey Bay.  Those swells will rip the kelp forest apart, they do every winter to varying degrees.  Do they take that into account before ringing the alarm bells?

-Allen

Good article...even the second time. But the data is not necessarily up to date. By the time they analyze the 2015/16 dataset, the kelp forests may be restored.
Reading the article comments is difficult...why do I even bother haha? I should just ignore and assume that commentors will blame obama/trump/fukishima/immigrants/fishermen.

This winter saw a steady train of unusually large swells, at least down here towards Monterey Bay.  Those swells will rip the kelp forest apart, they do every winter to varying degrees.  Do they take that into account before ringing the alarm bells?

-Allen

In my non-scientific observation-

The bull kelp forests at  the cape and the cove were noticeably smaller in extent last fall.  It was like they never really grew over the summer.  Trinidad had pretty normal coverage last fall.

Diving Timber Cove on sunday was erie for me. No kelp, and the urchins were all small, I guess from starving? The abalone was still plentiful at this point. But who knows how much longer..

Hey MB folks - what's the status of the kelp in MB, Carmel Bay, Pacific Grove, Pt Lobos areas?  Similar to patterns north of SFB or not?

Bird, it honestly seems like more kelp than a normal April/spring in Monterey, PG, Pebble, Carmel, Big Sur.

my neighbor dives...says he`s never seen it so bad..