Restoration Objective:
We are motivated to restore floating canopy forming bull kelp because we remember it here in our lifetime of living in this area and spending a lot of time on and near the water. We understand the importance of this habitat forming species. The goal is to cultivate Nereocystis on line and to transfer juveniles to fist-sized rocks using natural rubber bands for out planting.
Site Selection Criteria:
This site had historical bull kelp beds near the entrance to Welcome Pass between South and North Thormanby Islands and the mainland Sunshine Coast. The floating canopy kelp beds were important habitat for migrating juvenile salmonids. Traveling north along the Sunshine Coast, this is the first place where the relatively straight coastline changes and begins to get interesting. The adjacent nearshore area has a varied shoreline of coves, bays and inlets that provide sheltering habitat for schooling fish.
Cause Of Decline:
Likely multiple reasons for decline including overgrazing by green sea urchins, warming of the Salish Sea, imbalance of the ecosystem and water pollution from coastal development and nearby cities.
