Posted by Brad on January 14, 2004 at 18:07:54:
In Reply to: Help us bring the kelp back! posted by Santa Monica Baykeeper on January 14, 2004 at 16:02:49:
It's no secret how important, and fragile the Kelp is. It doesn't matter where you are, you will always find more life in the Kelp than anywhere else.
There used to be a plush Kelpbed right off Sunset Beach, behind what is now the Jackinthebox. There was an ancient mussle shole that kept the holdfast. That stretch of beach is particularily well protected from the oceanic swells by the local islands. Back in the early 70's, Norm from Norm's Bait and Tackle once told me that a kelp machine went through there one day and wrapped up all the kelp. That was when the machines rolled up the kelp removing the footing rather than just cutting the first few feet from the top as the more modern machines do.
That happened on a day back in 1957 and the kelp hasn't grown back yet...