Northwest Straits Initiative Floating Kelp Monitoring

Community science tracking floating kelp extent in the Northwest Straits Region

Kayak in bed of floating bull kelp.

Overview

Have you ever seen people kayaking around kelp beds in the Salish Sea? They may be community scientists monitoring kelp forests. Community science volunteers from seven county Marine Resources Committees (MRCs) have been mapping their local kelp forests by kayak each summer since 2015 to gain insight into trends in kelp abundance and how it changes over time.

Volunteers track the location and extent of local floating kelp forests during the peak of annual growth from June through September. This volunteer monitoring program, coordinated by the  Northwest Straits Commission , not only connects communities to their local marine environment, but collects valuable data for local resource managers and can shed light on regional trends in kelp.

I feel as though the work I’m doing is valuable, in that it will contribute to conservation and restoration efforts for years to come.

Alisa Taylor - Clallam MRC

Two kayakers measuring depth of kelp near shore.

Why do we monitor kelp?

The Northwest Straits region of the Salish Sea has a variety of kelp (species of large brown algae) that provide critical habitat for marine life and have cultural importance for Indigenous peoples. Perhaps the most iconic of these is bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana), one of the largest of the 22 species of kelp found in our waters.

Bull kelp can grow at a staggering rate of 2 feet per day, reaching a canopy height of up to 60 feet or more, creating a unique marine forested habitat for a variety of fish, shellfish, and other invertebrates, as well as acting as feeding grounds for marine mammals. Unfortunately, researchers have documented declines in the amount of bull kelp in parts of the Salish Sea likely due to multiple stressors including increased water temperature.

Bull kelp floating in ocean near shoreline.

The Northwest Straits Commission coordinates with MRCs throughout the Northwest Straits region to gather information on kelp forests for use in local and regional planning and research.

Play the video to learn more about the kayak monitoring program.

Neither of us are biologists, but with a practiced eye and lots of surveys over the same ground, it was easy to see the annual and longer term variations in the beds - what was causing these?  When we met with the real kelp professionals later, we learned how little data was available on the extent of bull kelp beds... We hope our surveys in small measure provided reproducible, quantitative on-the-water data that can be used to sustain and grow our kelp forests.

Brad Smith & Dale Fournier - Skagit MRC

Key Outcomes

Monitoring kelp forest extent with the goal of documenting changes overtime takes consistency and commitment. Floating kelp forests naturally vary in size seasonally and annually. Monitoring the same sites year after year captures that natural variability while also providing insight into underlying longer-term trends in kelp forest extent.

Observations of the MRC monitored kelp sites overtime show that the majority of the monitored kelp beds do not exhibit significant change in area over time but do exhibit some expected year to year variability.

There are a few sites where volunteers measured declines and growth in their local kelp forests:

Community science volunteers have documented kelp losses in Snohomish County. The kelp forests at Meadowdale and Mukilteo declined rapidly and were completely lost in 2018 and 2019 respectively. These sites are still monitored yearly, and volunteers have seen no recovery.

Orange stars show location of Meadowdale and Mukilteo kelp beds in Snohomish County.

In Island County, two sites have seen kelp forest expansion since monitoring began. The Ebey’s Landing kelp forest expanded further offshore and south and merged with another kelp forest to the south beginning in 2019. Similarly, the kelp forest along Possession Point, on the southern end of Whidbey Island, grew to the west between 2017 and 2019, to merge with a kelp bed on the west side of the point.

Orange stars show location of Ebey's Landing and Possession Point kelp beds in Island County.

Kelp data collected by MRC volunteers is integrated with multiple data sources to create the Washington State Floating Kelp Indicator, which tracks the status of select floating kelp beds throughout Washington State. There is limited kelp extent data for some regions of Puget Sound and the MRC sites in these regions provide a much-needed look into local kelp dynamics and health.

To see how kelp is doing statewide, visit:

In addition to measuring kelp extent, volunteers log observations about kelp condition, general site conditions (like water temperature), and species present in the kelp forest. Volunteers observed a wide diversity of animals in and around the kelp forests during surveys including (but not limited to) over 19 species of birds, over 7 species of fish, and various marine mammals, jellies, crabs, and intertidal invertebrates. Some MRCs use GoPros to capture the underwater scenes of their local kelp forests. Like this mesmerizing view of a school of herring at Ebey’s Landing!

At North Beach in Jefferson County and Edmonds in Snohomish County, project partners compared MRC kayak survey data to both drone and aerial imagery.

To learn more about this project, visit:

For more information on the monitoring sites in each county, keep scrolling or use the menu bar at the top to jump to a county page.


Interactive Data Map

We invite you to dive in and explore each of the sites MRC kayak volunteers have surveyed since 2015. At each site, the largest measured kelp bed perimeter is displayed to showcase how much, or how little, these kelp forests can change annually. Zoom in on a star to view the perimeter of that site's maximum surveyed extent for each monitored year. Blue stars indicate a site that is no longer surveyed while orange stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

Interact with the map in a few easy steps:

  • To zoom in - Double click on a site or area you want to explore or use the "+" button. Alternatively, use the search function to search by kelp bed location to zoom in and select specific monitoring years.
  • To zoom out - Use the " – " button.
  • To see more information about a particular site - Click the center of the kelp beds to view detailed information in a pop up and page through survey years.
  • Zoom in to a site and click the infographic button to view how the perimeter of that site's maximum extent has changed over survey years.

Map showing annual maximum extent of surveyed kelp beds.

Looking for even more kelp survey data? You can access and explore aerial photographs, kayak survey data, and more on Sound IQ. SoundIQ is a GIS-based informative map system that allows you to explore the Puget Sound area for specific information. It can be used to view kelp bed distribution and size, generate beach reports to specific shorelines, superimpose different data for vegetation, and view aerial photographs of kelp beds.


Clallam County MRC

Facing windy conditions and incredibly large kelp beds,  Clallam County MRC  volunteers dedicate time, expertise, and effort to survey their sites. Beginning in 2016, Clallam MRC volunteers continue to survey three locations along the Strait of Juan de Fuca: Clallam Bay, Freshwater Bay, and Observatory Point. Their work has been invaluable in surveying these expansive kelp forests and monitoring our only sites where both bull kelp and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) comingle. Beyond monitoring the perimeter, Clallam MRC volunteers have also collected plankton samples at the Clallam and Freshwater Bay kelp sites.

A few hours on the water can give you a unique sense of place - forests and mountains are close by - and let you know why kelp is a vital component of the Salish Sea ecosystem.

Alan Clark - Clallam MRC

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about each site.

Orange filled stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

Clallam Bay

A challenging site to survey, Clallam Bay is characterized by strong winds, waves, and rocky shoreline. However, volunteers are rewarded when facing these challenges as whales, harbor seals, sea lions, and sea otters are often spotted nearby. The Clallam Bay kelp bed is densely packed with a mixture of bull kelp and giant kelp, with many understory kelps, like feather boa and sea palm, visible under the surface.

In Clallam Bay, volunteers have found that the extent of the kelp bed is highly variable from year - to - year but shows no long-term trends of increasing or declining in size.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Clallam Bay kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Observatory Point

Located within Freshwater Bay and west of the large Freshwater Bay kelp monitoring site, the smaller kelp bed at Observatory Point was chosen for monitoring in case difficult conditions made surveying the large Freshwater Bay site unfeasible. Unlike the other kelp sites Clallam MRC surveys, Observatory Point is composed exclusively of bull kelp. During breeding season, a colony of Pigeon Guillemots calls this site home.

Volunteers noted that while the Observatory Point kelp bed doesn't seem to vary much in size from year to year, the area that volunteers survey does change depending on if the conditions are safe enough to navigate around the rocky outcrop.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Observatory Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Freshwater Bay

At over 2 miles long, Freshwater Bay is THE largest kelp forest surveyed by MRC volunteer kayakers. This kelp forest consists of both bull kelp and giant kelp, providing a canopy thick enough for blue herons and gulls to walk on. At Freshwater Bay, Clallam MRC kelp kayakers often see the Northwest food web in action as salmon, blue heron, and Harlequin ducks feed on forage fish and marine invertebrates within the kelp bed.  

Clallam MRC volunteers and DNR staff have noted seeing a decline in kelp area at Freshwater Bay, especially on the eastern side. While the cause for decline is currently unknown, the changes may be related to the Elwha River dam removal and subsequent changes in sediment size and distribution along the adjacent seafloor.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Freshwater Bay kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.


Island County MRC

Back in 2015, there was very little attention on bull kelp, even though Island County has a huge amount of it along its shorelines.  Being able to collect information from a small boat was an exciting opportunity to begin filling a big data gap & to learn about our nearshore habitats.

Linda Rhodes - Island MRC

With the large amount of kelp along the Island County shorelines and eager to fill data gaps,  Island County MRC  volunteers began surveying potential kelp sites. Currently, Island MRC surveys five sites across both Camano and Whidbey Islands: Ebey's Landing, Hoypus Point, Lowell Point, Polnell Point, and Possession Point.

The oceanographic conditions found along Island County shorelines provided Island MRC volunteers with a unique opportunity to survey kelp beds with marine, riverine, and urban influences. Additionally, whether it be collecting temperature data at multiple depths, taking extensive underwater videos, or utilizing infrared technology, Island MRC volunteers are often developing innovative methods to collect a diversity of data related to their kelp sites.

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about each site.

Orange filled stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

Open blue stars indicate a site that is no longer surveyed.

Hoypus Point

A small kelp bed, Hoypus Point, is situated among the strong tidal currents passing through Deception Pass, Saratoga Passage, and the Skagit River estuary. The kelp bed at Hoypus Point is bordered by a sandbar to the northeast. The nearshore area between the Skagit River estuary extending through Deception Pass is an important migratory corridor for juvenile Chinook salmon, and marine vegetation like the Hoypus Point kelp forest can provide food and refuge. Volunteers have observed juvenile Chinook salmon migrating from the Skagit River finding refuge here.

Island MRC kayakers surveyed this site from 2016-2018 and have surveyed the site since 2021.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Hoypus Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2018 and from 2021 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Polnell Point

Island MRC volunteers have monitored the kelp bed at Polnell Point since 2016. Polnell Point has a strong riverine influence as it is only 13 km away from the mouth of the Skagit River. Shiner perch are abundant in this kelp bed and volunteers surveying Polnell Point will likely encounter plenty of sea stars, sea cucumbers, and red rock and Dungeness crabs.

Island MRC volunteers noted that while year-to-year variation occurred in the northwestern portion of Polnell Point the kelp bed had been relatively stable until 2022, where volunteers documented a dramatic decrease in kelp bed area.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Polnell Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Ebey's Landing

Located in Admiralty Inlet, the Ebey's Landing kelp bed supports a rich marine ecosystem. Surveying at this site, volunteers often encounter hundreds of gulls, countless kelp crabs and other invertebrates, numerous schools of forage fish, jellies, blue heron and even a rhinoceros auklet or two.

Since monitoring began in 2015, the kelp bed at Ebey's Landing has increased in area. In 2019, volunteers documented that the Ebey's Landing kelp bed merged with another kelp bed to the south.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Ebey's Landing kelp bed from 2015 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Possession Point

Surveyed since 2017, the kelp bed at Possession Point is a large and healthy bed at the junction of Admiralty Inlet, Possession Sound, and the central Puget Sound Basin. Because of the variety of fish that congregate in this kelp bed, herons, terns, pigeon guillemots, osprey, eagles, seals, sea lions and even humans all take advantage of the favorable fishing opportunities found here.

Since 2019, Island MRC volunteers have observed that the Possession Point kelp bed has been expanding west and merged with another kelp bed nearby.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Possession Point kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Lowell Point

The Lowell Point kelp bed is found on Camano Island near Camano Island State Park. Island MRC volunteers often see crabbing and fishing activities near the bed, and there is frequent small boat traffic. During surveys, Island MRC kayakers often spot thousands of forage fish, multiple types of jellies, sea cucumbers, and red rock crabs.

Island MRC volunteers surveyed Lowell Point from 2016 to 2017 and have continuously surveyed since 2020.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Lowell Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2017 and from 2020 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Inactive Sites

Island MRC volunteers surveyed kelp forests at additional sites early in the program that are no longer actively monitored, including Ben Ure, Hastie Lake, and Libbey Beach.

Island MRC kayakers surveyed Hastie Lake and Libbey Beach in 2015. Volunteers chose to stop surveys here as site conditions were not ideal for kayak-based surveys and WA Department of Natural Resources collects aerial surveys of this area.

Volunteers surveyed Ben Ure, part of the marine state park network near Cornet Bay, from 2016 to 2018. The rocky shorelines along Ben Ure made surveying the kelp bed challenging.


Jefferson County MRC

Volunteers with the  Jefferson County MRC  have monitored kelp at North Beach since 2016. By focusing monitoring efforts to one site, Jefferson MRC kayakers have been able to survey the kelp site through the summer each year. Jefferson MRC volunteers often survey the North Beach kelp bed three to four times a year from June to September. Weather, wind, and currents may vary seasonally and dynamically impact volunteer observations at North Beach, yet part of the charm for volunteers is that no two survey dates are ever alike!

Monitoring kelp from the water provides a gorgeous perspective of the earth and the data collected contributes to kelp conservation and recovery. How beautiful is that?

Solenne Walker - Jefferson MRC

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about North Beach.

Orange filled stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

North Beach

The kelp bed at North Beach shows incredible variation not only from year-to-year but from month-to-month as well. Volunteers observed the North Beach kelp forest to change in shape and location, from gently "hugging" the shoreline in 2019 and 2020, to occurring more offshore and with an absence of kelp in the center of the bed in 2021 and 2022.

Figure shows the shape and size of the North Beach kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.


San Juan County MRC

From 2015 to 2017,  San Juan County MRC  volunteers monitored three kelp beds near Deer Harbor on Orcas Island. Volunteers were concerned that silt accumulation from bridge construction at the head of Deer Harbor could impact these kelp beds. The three kelp sites - Fawn Island, Pole Pass, and Reef Island - are no longer surveyed. While San Juan County does have extensive kelp beds, the area the San Juan MRC surveyed was likely less than 1% of the kelp found in the San Juan Islands.

The Samish Indian Nation uses aerial imagery and Indigenous knowledge to assess trends in canopy kelp in San Juan County.

Kelp forests are important ecosystem engineers that provide primary production, and essential refuge and habitat for invertebrate and fish species, especially juvenile fishes including threatened and endangered salmon and rock fish species, and forage fish species.

Phil Green - San Juan MRC (referencing San Juan County MSA Plan update)

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about each site.

Open blue stars indicate a site that is no longer surveyed.

Pole Pass

San Juan kelp kayakers surveyed the bed at Pole Pass from 2015 to 2017. The Pole Pass bed was dense and narrow, at times measuring only a meter wide.

While boat traffic here was substantial, so was the wildlife. Sea stars, mussels, small fish, oystercatchers, bald eagles, marbled murrelets, belted kingfishers, gulls, Canada geese, great blue heron, and pigeon guillemots all found refuge in and around the Pole Pass kelp bed.

Fawn Island

Surveyed in 2016 and 2017, the kelp bed at Fawn Island hugs the shoreline and was approximately 0.4 acres in area. With a dock on the island, boat traffic was a common sight when surveying kelp here. Besides boats, San Juan MRC volunteers also observed numerous orange sea cucumbers, sea stars, and kelp crabs.

Reef Island

The kelp bed at Reef Island was surveyed in 2016 and 2017. At about 1 acre in area, San Juan MRC kayakers described the kelp as healthy with numerous orange sea cucumbers and red rock crabs. Understory kelps, Ulva, rockweed, and Sargassum grow here too.


Skagit County MRC

Monitoring Shannon Point kelp let us pursue one of our recreational passions (sea kayaking) with our passion for trying to use scientific methods to understand the world around us.  In this case, the “world around us” was two bull kelp forests - something we knew very little about before we began our surveys. That we met many fascinating people along the way who shared our passions was extremely rewarding too.

Brad Smith & Dale Fournier - Skagit MRC

The comradery built among passionate kayakers and learning the importance of kelp to salmon were especially important aspects of the kelp monitoring project for  Skagit County MRC  volunteers. Since 2016, Skagit MRC and their network of Salish Sea Steward volunteers have been monitoring four kelp sites: Biz Point, Coffin Rocks, and two kelp beds around Shannon Point. These sites were chosen as they were easily accessible.

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about each site.

Orange filled stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

Shannon Point

The Shannon Point site consists of two kelp beds – Shannon Point East and the slightly smaller Shannon Point West – that volunteers have surveyed since 2017. The relatively easy access and surrounding beauty attracts and sustains a large cohort of volunteers (sometimes up to 10 people!) to help survey kelp at Shannon Point. Volunteers typically survey both beds 3 to 4 times per year. This site is filled with wildlife, including harbor seals, bald eagles, oystercatchers, and northern kelp crabs.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Shannon Point kelp beds from 2017 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Biz Point

A narrow fringing kelp bed bordered by rocky shoreline, Skagit MRC volunteers have surveyed Biz Point since 2017. By surveying 3 to 4 times per year from June to September, volunteers have been able to document the annual and seasonal growth of kelp along Biz Point. The Biz Point kelp bed has expanded in size since volunteers first began surveying it.

Volunteers often see blue heron and sea stars during surveys at Biz Point.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Biz Point kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Coffin Rocks

The Coffin Rocks kelp bed encircles large offshore rocks at the entrance of Bowman Bay. Skagit MRC volunteers selected Coffin Rocks as a survey site in 2016 because they not only find this work valuable, but kelp beds are also a great place to kayak and dive in!

Volunteers survey Coffin Rocks 3 to 4 times per year and found that the kelp bed changes very little from month to month and even year to year, with the area of the kelp bed typically ranging from 1.0 acres to 1.7 acres each year.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Coffin Rocks kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.


Snohomish County MRC

The urban setting of the Snohomish County shoreline provides a unique backdrop for the  Snohomish County MRC  volunteers to survey kelp beds. Snohomish MRC volunteers began monitoring kelp beds in 2015, and today monitor four sites: Edmonds, Hat Island, Meadowdale and Mukilteo. They are the only MRC that has documented the decline and loss of kelp forests, which occurred at two beds along the shoreline of Meadowdale and Mukilteo. Volunteers tracked the kelp beds along Meadowdale and Mukilteo as they shrunk year after year. Now, when they survey these sites, they may only find a single kelp bulb, if any at all.

Being able to take data and information back to our peers and students to show them about the kelp beds in our own "backyard" makes it more authentic and valuable.  As an educator I really get excited to teach my students this particular unit because it is more engaging and I hope helps them want to do more to protect the kelp.

Brienne Townsend - Snohomish MRC

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about each site.

Orange filled stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

Edmonds

The monitoring site at Edmonds consists of multiple kelp beds, including a kelp bed within the Edmonds Dive Park. The Edmonds Dive Park kelp bed was added in 2017. Volunteers have surveyed the other beds at Edmonds since 2015. The documented total combined area of the Edmonds kelp beds ranges from 4 acres up to 16 acres. Volunteers found the kelp here to be healthy though not always very dense. Around and amongst the Edmonds kelp beds, volunteers observed abundant amounts of Sargassum and sugar kelp as well as some eelgrass.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Edmonds kelp beds from 2015 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Hat Island

The kelp forest along southern Hat Island has been surveyed continuously since 2017 by motorized vessel rather than kayaks. Volunteers with Snohomish MRC often coordinated with researchers from the Tulalip Tribes to help survey Hat Island. This bed is one of the largest kelp forests in Snohomish County, though highly variable, measuring as large as 40 acres in 2019 and decreasing to 14 acres in 2022, with the measured area heavily influenced by current conditions during surveys. Volunteers often observe that the kelp appears denser and in better condition in the middle of the bed than on the surrounding edges.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Hat Island kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Meadowdale

The Meadowdale kelp site is one of two sites that Snohomish MRC volunteers survey that no longer has a measurable kelp bed. Snohomish MRC volunteers began monitoring the Meadowdale kelp site in 2015 where they found 1.5 acres of kelp.  However, volunteers observed a dramatic decline in kelp area starting in 2017. Since 2020, volunteers have never found more than 10 kelp bulbs in Meadowdale.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Meadowdale kelp bed from 2015 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Mukilteo

The kelp forest along Mukilteo experienced a complete loss of kelp since volunteers began monitoring this area in 2015. In 2015, the kelp bed was approximately 1.5 acres in size. By 2018, volunteers were only finding individual kelp bulbs, and by 2020 to present volunteers haven’t found any kelp bulbs along the Mukilteo shoreline.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Mukilteo kelp bed from 2015 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.


Whatcom County MRC

When  Whatcom County MRC  volunteers first started monitoring kelp, there was little data as to where kelp beds were in Whatcom County. The MRC used resources including the 1911 and 1912 historical maps showing kelp distributions to select a unique but dynamic set of kelp sites to monitor. Starting in 2016, Whatcom MRC volunteers have intermittently surveyed five sites: Lummi Island, Point Whitehorn, Cherry Point, Aiston Preserve, and Alden Bank. Some sites are incredibly challenging to survey due to large swells, being far from shore, or even requiring multiday trips on the water to access the remote sites.

I decided to join this project because I appreciate how community science can help fill data gaps. Kelp is a very important species for Salish Sea recovery and one of the first steps is to better understand kelp, such as where is it, how much is there, and how is it changing over time?

Eleanor Hines - Whatcom MRC

Use the arrows on the images below to explore more information about each site.

Orange filled stars indicate a currently surveyed site.

Open blue stars indicate a site that is no longer surveyed.

Aiston Preserve

Whatcom MRC volunteers began surveying the kelp bed at Aiston Preserve in 2018 to help track the impacts to the kelp bed just offshore from where restoration and enhancement efforts were happening by the Lummi Island Heritage Trust. Since volunteers started surveying, multiple restoration activities have taken place, including the ceasing of operations at a nearby quarry and the removal of overwater structures. So far, it seems the bed may be growing thanks to these nearby restoration actions. Currently, the Aiston Preserve kelp is fairly skinny, wrapping around a wide shoreline bend, and spanning directly under where the overwater structures used to be.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Mukilteo kelp bed from 2018 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Cherry Point

Starting in 2017, Whatcom MRC volunteers survey the kelp along Cherry Point one or two times a year. This site is located in the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve where WA Department of Natural Resources collects aerial surveys of the kelp bed. A naturally dynamic and patchy site, the Cherry Point kelp bed is surrounded by feeder bluffs that distribute sand over the beach and is interspersed with eelgrass. The wide range of habitats means volunteers observe a variety of wildlife including large schools of forage fish, lots of crabs hanging on to the kelp, sea stars on the rocks, the bright orange tentacles of sea cucumbers, great blue herons fishing off the kelp, and so much more.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Cherry Point kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Green - August survey and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Southwest Lummi Island

Whatcom MRC volunteers have been monitoring the Southwest Lummi Island kelp bed since 2016 and is the MRC’s longest continuously monitored kelp bed. However, monitoring this site is not an easy task. It requires a multiday kayak trip with an overnight stay on Lummi Island. The kelp bed is long and narrow, reaching up to 3 acres in area. Here, you can see the interplay between human and wildlife uses of kelp. Wildlife are abundant among the kelp forest while recreational fishers are routinely seen along the kelp at this site.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Southwest Lummi Island kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Point Whitehorn

Whatcom MRC volunteers have intermittently surveyed the kelp bed at Point Whitehorn, surveying once in 2016 and 2019 through 2021. Point Whitehorn is a very dynamic habitat with challenging conditions for surveying kelp. Between the swell and large glacial erratic boulders peppering the seafloor, this site remains opportunistically surveyed when the conditions are just right.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Point Whitehorn kelp bed from 2016 and from 2019 to 2021. Green - August survey and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Alden Bank

Alden Bank is a unique site of offshore kelp forest, as it is surrounded by deeper waters. There are major shipping lanes not far from this site and the nearest land is about 5 miles away. Whatcom MRC volunteers surveyed Alden Bank from 2018-2020, but due to safety concerns and data inconsistency, this site was monitored via motorboat instead of kayak in 2019 and 2020. Because of the difficult conditions at this site, the monitoring efforts were often paired with overhead flights to ensure the majority of kelp was able to be surveyed.

Learn More

In 2015-2022, the seven MRCs:

  • paddled 1,878 miles (the equivalency of 6.5 times the length of the Salish Sea).
  • burned ~424,445 calories while paddling (equivalent to eating 2,120 doughnuts).
  • mapped over 30 floating kelp beds.

The MRCs’ collective effort has advanced our understanding of floating kelp bed distributions and trends in the Northwest Straits region, an area largely devoid of such data. This high-value information has and will continue to be used by MRCs and partners in the region’s collective efforts to understand, conserve, and recover Washington’s kelp forests, a critical component to local ecosystems and many Northwest Tribe’s lives and cultures.

To learn more about the monitoring program visit:

For more information on the kayak-based survey protocol for floating kelp in the Salish Sea, visit:

For more information on kelp stressors, visit:

Acknowledgements

The MRC Kayak Bull Kelp Monitoring Program would not be possible without funding from Puget Sound Partnership, EPA, and State of Washington. We would like to thank Washington Department of Natural Resources for their contribution to and collaboration on creating this StoryMap. Additionally, thank you to the MRC members and partners that contributed resources to make this StoryMap possible. Thank you also goes to the Northwest Straits Foundation for their continued support of the program. Finally, we would like to thank the MRCs and their respective county staff leads for their time and effort, which this program was built upon.

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under Assistance Agreement CE01J97401 to Puget Sound Partnership. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

Orange stars show location of Meadowdale and Mukilteo kelp beds in Snohomish County.

Orange stars show location of Ebey's Landing and Possession Point kelp beds in Island County.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Clallam Bay kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Observatory Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Freshwater Bay kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Hoypus Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2018 and from 2021 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Polnell Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Ebey's Landing kelp bed from 2015 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Possession Point kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Lowell Point kelp bed from 2016 to 2017 and from 2020 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the North Beach kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Shannon Point kelp beds from 2017 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Biz Point kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Coffin Rocks kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Red - June survey, yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Edmonds kelp beds from 2015 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Hat Island kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Meadowdale kelp bed from 2015 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Mukilteo kelp bed from 2015 to 2022. Yellow - July survey, green - August survey, and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Mukilteo kelp bed from 2018 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Cherry Point kelp bed from 2017 to 2022. Green - August survey and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Southwest Lummi Island kelp bed from 2016 to 2022. Yellow - July survey and green - August survey. Click figure to expand.

Figure shows the shape and size of the Point Whitehorn kelp bed from 2016 and from 2019 to 2021. Green - August survey and blue - September survey. Click figure to expand.