Ocean Wise Canada - Burrard Inlet

Restoration Project

Ocean Wise Canada - Burrard Inlet

Restoration Objective:

Ocean Wise has been working with the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation (TWN) to restore kelp habitat in səĺilẃət (Burrard Inlet) in front of the TWN reserve where kelp beds were historically well-established and thriving. Our goal is to restore bull kelp beds in an area that is culturally significant to the TWN to provide the nation access to a culturally important marine species that was once abundant in their traditional territory.

Site Selection Criteria:

The site was chosen based on substrate, depth, and presense of kelp.

Key Reasons For Decline:

Climate Change

Ecosystem Imbalance

Ocean Warming

Organisation:

Ocean Wise Canada

Site Observations:

Observation Date

1st Sep 2023 – 7th May 2024

Action Summary:

During the summer of 2023, our team upgraded the kelp nursery to improve on last season’s work. The system was modified to a re-circulating process by adding filters, a UV sterilizer, and a reservoir. This proved helpful as contaminations were lower than the previous year, and the team successfully grew and outplanted kelp. Sugar kelp was grown on both pebbles/cobbles and oyster shells. In February 2024, the seaforestation team outplanted our kelp into False Creek in preparation for outplanting to a final restoration site in May. For the first time in North America, oyster shells were used as substrate for restoration work, mimicking what our team documented in the water last year and trialled with the hope of increasing the kelp’s survival rate. Kelp growth met and exceeded expectations and was outplanted in Burrard Inlet in early May, 2024.

Lessons Learned:

Growing kelp in a nursery provides ideal conditions for microalgal contamination that can affect the survival of the kelp at different stages of its life. Controlling and containing contamination is crucial to ensure the overal success of the nursery. Green gravel is also difficult to transport so it is crucial to have proper bins and equipment for transporting the green gravel from the nursery to the restoration site. As well, we had originally planned to outplant our nursery-grown kelp in December, 2023. This was based off of what we read in the literature and what experts in the field advised. Due to complications in our growing process, the kelp was outplanted much later than planned, however, its growth and health exceeded our expectations leading us to believe there may be more leeway in the outplanting schedule than previously thought.

Project Outcomes:

This growing season provided Ocean Wise with beneficial insight into the best methods for growing and outplanting kelp. The lessons learned from this year's observations will prove to be integral for our success in 2024.

Indicator Data:

Transplant Info:
Life Stage:Juveniles
Source:Culture

Observation Date

7th Jun 2024 – 7th Jun 2024

Action Summary:

Divers when to monitor the kelp two months after the transplant event. Unfortunately, no kelp on oyster shells was found at the site.

Lessons Learned:

We had originally decided to grow sugar kelp on oyster shells because this is something we observed at the restoration site. Unfortunately, the original site we had chosen fell threw at the last minute. We were able to outplant our green gravel in crab traps located at the floating homes in Granville Island while we searched for a different area. The kelp grew very well in the crab traps, some of the fronds were ~2 m tall. This was particularily interesting considering the water quality in False Creek. The new transplant site available had higher current activity than the original. We assume that there was no kelp found at the site because the substrate (small rocks and oyster shells) was too light and the kelp acted as a sail, carrying the substrate away with the current. Based on articles reviewed by the team, this seems to be a common issue with green gravel. For our next green gravel project, we will pivot to using large cobbles/small boulders in an attempt to get the kelp to remain at the site and have a chance to reproduce.

Project Outcomes:

This project provided us with valuable knowledge of what works and what doesn't when it comes to growing and outplanting green gravel. Oyster shells were a very effective growing substrate. The kelp grew quite well on the shells and attached securely. However, oyster shells might be too light of a substrate to make restoration successful. It might be an interesting experiment to grow sugar kelp on oyster shells and then attach those shells to heavier substrate before outplanting. Additionally, we were under the impression that there were very strict rules for how long kelp could stay in the nursery and remain viable. Our kelp ended up staying in our nursery for about double the length of time we had been recommended and it still thrived in False Creek.

Indicator Data:

Transplant Info:
Life Stage:Juveniles
Source:Culture
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