Along almost any rocky shore in the San Juans, clusters of bull kelp can be seen offshore. Kelp beds soften the force of waves, providing a resting area for seals, otters, and waterfowl. Underwater kelp forests shelter sea urchins, crabs, juvenile rockfish, sea anemones, starfish, sea cucumbers, octopuses, and many other marine creatures.
The term kelp refers to all brown algae that are attached to the seafloor. The most well known, bull kelp, grows in shallow subtidal waters to depths of over 60 feet, providing a protective canopy to hundreds of species of fish, invertebrates and marine mammals that feed, live and hunt below. There are also numerous species of understory kelps that grow along rocky bottoms from the intertidal to depths of 45 feet, providing additional habitat complexity to the kelp forest.
Kelp needs clean water and light to thrive. You can protect kelp habitat by reducing soil erosion and use of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Also, be sure your septic system is in good working order. If you are a boater, steer clear of kelp beds when underway and avoid locating docks and mooring buoys in kelp habitat.
