Recently, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) teamed up with Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maine’s U.S. Senator Angus King to introduce the bicameral Help Our Kelp Act.Over the last 50 years, the changing climate, poor water quality, and overfishing have damaged between 40-60 percent of our kelp forests. Kelp forest ecosystems not only provide food and habitat for hundreds of fish and marine mammals, these ecosystems also support coastal communities by protecting coastlines, supporting sustainable fisheries, and driving local economies and jobs. Long-term recovery of these kelp forests remain uncertain. This legislation would invest federal resources towards state, local, and federal partners combating this cascading challenge.“Healthy kelp forests play an important role in marine ecosystems, sustainable fisheries, and coastal communities. But they’re getting wiped out along the North Coast, causing serious impacts on our ocean and everyone who depends on it,” said Rep. Huffman. “Local communities are working hard to restore these vital ecosystems, but climate change and an epidemic of voracious kelp-eating urchins have created a perfect storm, making this problem especially difficult to solve. So, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach. With our bill, we can direct the necessary federal resources to support important recovery efforts before it’s too late.”#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');“Oregon’s kelp forests provide critical habitats and food sources for marine mammals, birds, and many fish species that drive Oregon’s commercial fishing industry and coastal community economies,” said Senator Merkley. “As healthy kelp forests are rapidly dwindling, these marine mammals, birds, and fish are losing their habitats, throwing off entire ecosystems and sending economies into uncharted waters.”“Climate change and human activity are both having widespread impacts on ecosystems around the globe—and the coastal communities in Maine are no different,” said Senator King. “The Help Our Kelp Act is an important step to ensure that our iconic Maine fisheries, and surrounding communities, are able to serve as a habitat for marine life well into the future. We need continued investments and safeguards to protect our fisheries, and our Maine way of life. Thanks to my colleagues for recognizing the importance of kelp forests and working to protect one of Maine’s vital resources.”The Help Our Kelp Act would:Establish a new NOAA grant program to fund conservation, restoration, and management efforts;Focus on addressing the greatest relative regional declines, long term ecological or socioeconomic resilience, or are in focal recovery areas identified by Tribal, federal, or state management plans; andAuthorize $5 million per year from FY2024-FY2028.Rep. Huffman was also able to secure $2,000,000 for Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Kelp Recovery Community Project in the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations package.In the Senate, this legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).The Help Our Kelp Act is endorsed by the Center for the Blue Economy, Seattle Aquarium, Bay Foundation, Blue Frontier, American Sportfishing Association, Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Northwest Trek and Wildlife Park, Friends of Zoo Boise, Zoo Boise, Greater Farallones Association, The Ocean Foundation, Oregon Zoo, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Surfrider Foundation, Noyo Center for Marine Science, Woodland Park Zoo, Bainbridge Island Land Trust, Puget Soundkeeper, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.“Kelp forests are an important fisheries habitat on the California coast and a priority habitat for the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. Since 2014, bull kelp forests on the north-central California coast have declined by an estimated 90% due to a combination of stressors such as climate-related impacts, including in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries are our nation’s most significant natural and cultural marine areas and as such, are a high priority for kelp ecosystem restoration efforts. Kelp forests are economically, ecologically, and culturally important habitats and are essential to restore and protect,” said Deb Self, Greater Farallones Association Executive Director. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });