Restoration Objective:
Kelp beds are extremely important habitats, providing space, shelter, and forage for many invertebrates and fish. The decline of the kelp beds along the coast of Santa Barbara after the 1983-1983 El Niño event severely reduced the productivity and biological diversity of the local nearshore environment. In an on-going effort to re-establish the productivity and marine resources of the region, CDFG contracted Kelco in 1991 to continue restoration work in Santa Barbara County.
Site Selection Criteria:
Sites were selected where: there was a previous history of kelp, water depth was less than 16m, no purple urchins were present and adult Macrocystis were in close proximity.
Cause Of Decline:
Historically, beds of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) along the Orange County coastline were dense and covered much of the available rocky substrate from the shallow subtidal area down to 20m and deeper. These beds supported a diverse assortment of fish, invertebrates, and other plants, many of which were of significant interest to commercial and sport fisherman. The warm waters brought by the El Niño of 1982-1983 caused the loss of most giant kelp stands leaving only a few surviving patches along the Orange County shoreline. Additional stressors to kelp populations included urbanisation, low water quality, storms and overfishing.
