Off Tofino on Canada's west coast, the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, Redd Fish Restoration Society, and West Coast Kelp have operated a kelp restoration project since early 2026 at the Baxter Islets, following federal and provincial permitting granted in less than a year through a Letter of Agency from the Tla-o-qui-aht.
"We want Tla-o-qui-aht hereditary chiefs' traditional territory to reach a state of abundance. For that we need fully functioning ecosystems, and kelp is an important part of the salmon ecosystem," said Saya Masso, Natural Resources Manager of the Tla-o-qui-aht.
The total budget is approximately 240,000 dollars, funded by the provincial government, Pacific Salmon Foundation, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and Clayoquot Biosphere Trust. Giant kelp and bull kelp grow on four lines of 330 meters each beneath the water surface, away from bottom-dwelling sea urchins. Bull kelp can grow up to 15 centimeters per day.
Four underwater cameras record five minutes per hour between sunrise and sunset to document which fish use the new habitat. Hannah Kobluk, an observer not involved in the project, called sea otters "kelp restoration employees" for their role in eating sea urchins that would otherwise overgraze kelp forests.
Sea otters as unexpected helpers
Approximately 1,500 sea otters inhabit Clayoquot Sound according to Canadian fisheries estimates. Where they occur, they eat sea urchins, preventing overgrazing and facilitating restoration.
Background of kelp loss
The context is a 2015 marine heat wave that destroyed kelp forests along the central coast of British Columbia. Globally, scientists estimate that roughly 11,542 square kilometers of kelp forest are lost annually, with an estimated global value of ecosystem services provided by kelp around 500 billion dollars yearly.
Similar efforts underway elsewhere
Similar approaches operate elsewhere on Canada's west coast. On Haida Gwaii, the Haida Nation and Parks Canada removed 75 percent of sea urchin populations starting in 2017 along a roughly three-kilometer coastal section. By summer 2019, previously narrow-growing kelp had spread 2 to 5 meters into deeper water.
Uncertainty remains
Saya Masso expects it will take at least a decade for detailed mapping and confirmation that transplanted kelp survives. Kelp restoration science overall remains in early stages, according to Julia Baum of the University of Victoria. Restoration projects often take very long to succeed because it is demanding work. The goal is not a one-time quick fix but long-term ecosystem management in partnership with First Nations, Campbell said.