Clayoquot Sound – A team on the west coast of Vancouver Island is rebuilding underwater kelp habitat with a mix of modern science and long-standing Indigenous knowledge. The effort centers on a nursery that has already established more than 4,200 square meters of new growth since early 2026. Sea otters play a supporting role by keeping sea urchin numbers in check, which helps the young kelp survive once it is moved to the seafloor.
Project Scale and Daily Operations
Emily Fulton, marine program manager at the Redd Fish Restoration Society, oversees the work from a small boat in the traditional territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation. The nursery grows bull kelp and giant kelp on four submerged lines, each 330 meters long. These lines keep the plants away from urchins that graze on the seafloor. Once the kelp matures, portions are transplanted to restore damaged forests and start new ones across the sound. The project is described as the largest of its kind on the West Coast of North America. It has required nearly a quarter of a million Canadian dollars, drawn from the British Columbia government, the World Wildlife Fund of Canada, and the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust. West Coast Kelp, a company focused on restoration, works alongside Redd Fish to manage the site.
Why Kelp Matters Here
Kelp forests provide shelter and food for many marine species and help stabilize coastal waters. In Clayoquot Sound, past losses have reduced these benefits. The current nursery approach allows controlled growth before the plants face open conditions. Fulton noted that the team has already produced a substantial amount of kelp through this method. The combination of scientific monitoring and Indigenous stewardship guides decisions on where and when to plant. This partnership aims to improve long-term survival rates compared with earlier attempts that relied on fewer local insights.
Next Steps for the Nursery
Transplanting will continue as the lines produce more mature plants. The team expects to expand the restored area in coming seasons while tracking how the new kelp interacts with existing marine life, including otters. Funding partners are watching results to decide on further support. The work shows how targeted investment and local knowledge can address habitat loss in a specific coastal region. Observers will follow whether the restored patches grow into self-sustaining forests over the next several years.
