Thursday February 13, 2025
Representative Huffman —
Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced the bicameral Help Our Kelp Act of 2025 to improve conditions for kelp forests and marine life. This legislation would invest federal resources to address the ongoing crises that kelp forest ecosystems face in Northern California, Southern Oregon, and across the country.
Over the last 50 years, more than 95% of kelp forests stretching from the South Coast of Oregon to the North Coast of California have been damaged due to a few different factors – specifically rising ocean temperatures that limit kelp growth, and spreading sea star wasting disease that removes a key predator of purple sea urchins and drives those overpopulated urchins to voraciously consume kelp. As the climate crisis worsens, water quality dips, and overfishing becomes commonplace, kelp forests are in decline.
“Healthy kelp ecosystems are essential not only to the stability and survival hundreds of marine species, but also to protecting coastlines, generating income for coastal communities, and supporting sustainable fisheries,” said Rep. Huffman. “As we continue to see the decline of these ecosystems due to climate change, it’s urgent that Congress steps in and passes much-needed federal assistance to help counter these challenges in our oceans. With this bill, we can take an important step toward improving and recovering conditions for kelp and other marine life before it’s too late.”