Restoring Sussex's Kelp Forests: A Tale of Recovery and Hope

1
Restoring Sussex's Kelp Forests A Tale of Recove
ry and Hope
betterworlds.com
2
University of Sussex Professor Mika Peck points
to two major issues to the disappearance of
kelp rising temperatures and human pressure. A
trawling ban, covering 300 square kilometers, is
a start to giving the ecosystem a chance for a
natural recovery. Off the coast of Sussex, an
ambitious project is underway to restore
once-thriving kelp forests that have all but
disappeared over the past few decades. The Sussex
Kelp Recovery Project, led by researchers from
the University of Sussex, aims to monitor and
facilitate the recovery of this vital marine
ecosystem following a trawling ban implemented in
2021. Historically kelp, the name given to a
group of brown seaweeds that form dense
aggregations known as kelp forests, was abundant
along the Sussex coastline and provided an
essential habitat that supported both marine
life and local fisheries. But 96 of this
important habitat has diminished over time,
leaving just a few small patches and individual
plants. The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project has a
goal to bring it back for the benefit of nature,
fisheries, coastal communities and our planet.
3
The group worked with a diverse community to
impose the local bylaw, which impacts livelihoods
of
some fisheries but also was supported by fishers
who see that the recovery would lead to better
fishing, sports fishing, net, potting and
crabbing. The process included creating
documentaries to visually show the impact and
feature expert sources. Over time the fishers
came to support the project as the awareness
grew and public pressure for the ban also
rose. In this episode of Blue Pioneers, Host and
Sea Change Row Expedition Skipper Kat Bruce spoke
with Professor Peck, PhD student Alice Clark,
and lecturer / project co-lead Valentina Scarponi
from the University of Sussex to gain their
insights into the importance of kelp forests and
hear more about their work. They painted a
picture of a coastline that, prior to 1987, was
teeming with life supported by extensive kelp
beds stretching for kilometers out to sea. These
underwater forests served as crucial nursery
grounds for fish and provided habitat for
countless marine species. A combination of
factors including a major storm in 1987 and
destructive bottom trawling practices led to the
near-complete loss of Sussex's kelp forests. The
ecosystem shift has had far-reaching consequences
for local biodiversity and fisheries.
4
The ecosystem probably will not recover to the
same state it was back in the 1980s, but it has a
chance to become more biodiverse than it was
when trawling was at its highest. In their most
recent published study, the project team
reported finding 81 different marine vertebrate
species in the area, including dolphins, sharks,
rays, cuttlefish and the rare European eel was
picked up with eDNA samples. Still, this result
is indicative of a sad, degraded ecosystem, Mika
said. But there are also reasons for hope. As
Valentina pointed out, nature has a remarkable
ability to bounce back when given the chance.
The researchers emphasized the importance of
public engagement and a shift in how we view our
relationship with nature. Looking to the future,
Mika advocated for adopting a "rights of nature"
legal framework that would allow ecosystems like
the kelp forests to be represented in court
against polluters or other threats. This paradigm
shift, coupled with individual actions and
collective activism, could pave the way for
meaningful change. Join in these important
discussions with Blue Pioneers, as we face
interconnected biodiversity and climate crises
and explore projects like the Sussex Kelp
Recovery offer valuable lessons in ecosystem
restoration and the power of community-driven
conservation efforts.
5

• Episode Highlights
• Sussex coastline once home to extensive kelp
  forests, crucial for marine biodiversity
• Trawling ban implemented in 2021 to allow
  ecosystem recovery
• Researchers using eDNA and video surveys to
  monitor biodiversity
• 81 marine vertebrate species identified so far,
  including rare European eel
• Challenges include climate change, pollution, and
  altered seabed conditions
• Researchers advocate for "rights of nature" legal
  framework
• Public engagement and shift in relationship with
  nature seen as crucial for conservation
• Project offers hope for ecosystem restoration
  efforts globally
• About the Project
• The Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation
  Authority is one of ten IFCAs around the coast of
  England which manage sea fisheries resources and
  the marine environment from mean high water out
  to six nautical miles. We have powers under the
  Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 to write and
  enforce our own byelaws in our own districts to
  manage the exploitation of sea fisheries
  resources, including within Marine Conservation
  Zones. We came into force in April 2011,
  replacing our predecessors the Sea Fisheries
  Committees.

6
IFCA Vision Inshore Fisheries and Conservation
Authorities will lead, champion and manage a
sustainable marine environment and inshore
fisheries, by successfully securing the right
balance between social, environmental and
economic benefits to ensure healthy seas,
sustainable fisheries and a viable
industry. Discover more about the UKs largest
marine rewilding project Learn more about this
episodes Guests Mika Peck, professor of
conservation ecology at the University of Sussex.
https//www.linkedin.com/in/mika-peck-59263424/ A
lice Clark, https//www.linkedin.com/in/alice-clar
k-phd/ Valentina Scarponi, lecturer at the
University of Sussex co lead the kelp restoration
project. https//profiles.sussex.ac.uk/p357470-va
lentina-scarponi
7
About Kat Dr. Kat Bruce is CEO and Founder of
NatureMetrics Ltd., a leading provider of
biodiversity monitoring data, using eDNA surveys,
metabarcoding and more. She is the skipper of a
team of six women who work in the fields of
nature, climate and corporate sustainability
will launch their data-collection Sea Change Row
Expedition on June 9. Beginning at the Tower
Bridge in Londone, the crew will row 2,000 miles
around the British coastline without stopping and
unassisted. Their mission to to collect data on
biodiversity, microplastics, sound and ocean
temperature, which will supporting a long term
study on ocean health led by the University of
Portsmouth. The Blue Pioneers podcast documents
the work that is being done and features
projects that are on the Sea Change route this
summer.
8
CONTACT DETAILS
Brand Name - Better worlds Address- 444 W Ocean
Blvd, Suite 800, Long Beach, California 90802,
US Phone no.- 1-562-294-4646 Category -
Technology, Information and Internet betterworld
s.com