UC San Diego

The marine heatwave in 2014 resulted in the mass mortality of kelp forests along the California coast. In particular, Northern California has lost approximately 95% of its historical kelp cover, resulting in the transformation of many areas into persistent urchin barrens. The dramatic shift in the Northern California ecosystem has prompted stakeholders in kelp forests to take action and invest in restoration efforts. These groups include commercial urchin divers, researchers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government representatives. Grazer suppression is a method for restoring kelp that has gained interest in recent years. Although some groups are pursuing this method of restoration, there are individuals who have expressed doubts about its effectiveness. This study aims to investigate the underlying factors that influence the perspectives of individuals across different stakeholder groups, and how these perspectives shape their perceptions of challenges and proposed solutions. Results show that NGOs and commercial urchin divers share similar perspectives, whereas researchers and government representatives hold differing views. All groups agree that the process of removing sea urchins is labor-intensive and expensive. However, not all groups were in agreement when discussing potential solutions. These results provide an overview of the diverse perspectives of important stakeholders involved in kelp restoration and serve as a progress report on restoration efforts.