CIMI Kelp Restoration

Boosting Kelp Resilience, One Reef at a Time

In the wake of a prolonged marine heatwave and extraordinary storms (2014–2016), Catalina Island’s once-thriving kelp forests were reduced to patchy remnants, overrun by invasive Sargassum horneri and native turf algae. But now, a decade later, nature is offering a second chance. Kelp is recruiting again, and the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) is diving into action—through restoration and education.

The CIMI Kelp Restoration Project combines cutting-edge technologies—including drone imagery, multibeam sonar, wave and temperature sensors, and diver surveys—to map and monitor kelp forest health at Toyon Bay, Fox Landing and other sites around Catalina.