Posted by Santa Monica Baykeeper on January 14, 2004 at 16:02:49:
The California Coastkeeper Alliance has been involved in an underwater restoration and monitoring program in the kelp beds of Southern California since 1997. About 150 active volunteers participate in the Kelp Restoration Project with Santa Monica and San Diego Baykeepers, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, and Orange County Coastkeeper.
The goal of our program is to restore kelp to areas along the coast where it historically thrived. Human and natural influences have caused drastic declines in kelp density in many places, as well as complete loss in others. Waning populations of fish and other animals depend on kelp for food and shelter. When the kelp is gone, as many as 800 species find themselves homeless. We have had many successes restoring kelp beds, but there is much more work to be done. We are always looking for qualified volunteer divers to help the kelp!
In Malibu we normally dive on weekday and weekend mornings, making 2-3 dives each trip. The diving is free and air fills for volunteers are provided by the Marina del Rey Sport Chalet. Divers participate in monitoring activities, such as substrate surveys, benthic organism assessments and fish counts, as well as kelp restoration. Due to our pending organizational AAUS membership, we require that volunteer divers are both advanced and rescue certified, and are comfortable diving in cold water and high surge conditions. Please contact one of the four Keepers if you are interested in helping us help the kelp:
Los Angeles: Santa Monica Baykeeper
captainkelp@smbaykeeper.org
310-305-9645 x3
San Diego: San Diego Baykeeper
colleen@sdbaykeeper.org
619-758-7743
Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
jessie@sbck.org
805-563-3377
Orange County: Orange County Coastkeeper
kelpkeeper@mindspring.com
949-723-5424 x306