Recreational Kelp Harvest Impacts
Presentation Abstract
Intertidal recreational kelp harvest is popular during spring and summer low tides on western Whidbey Island beaches in the Smith and Minor Islands Aquatic Reserve (SMIAR). Little is known about recreational kelp harvest pressure, harvester practices and potential harvest impacts in the aquatic reserve. To address this knowledge gap, the SMIAR Citizen Stewardship Committee and the DNR Aquatic Reserve Program jointly conducted a two-part study at Libbey Beach. (1) Harvester surveys: From 2015-2018, the SMIAR Citizen Stewardship Committee and DNR measured wet weight of harvester buckets and conducted harvester interviews at Libbey Beach. (2) Kelp harvest treatment study: From 2017-2018, DNR led a treatment study to investigate within-year and between-year effects of kelp harvested using two different methods: a) sustainable harvest (cut 30 cm above the holdfast), and b) unsustainable harvest (cut at the stipe) of Alaria marginata (winged or ribbon kelp) and Saccharina (split-leaf kelp and sugar kelp).
Session Title
Session 2.2A: Kelp: Stressors, Trends, and Value (Part II)
Conference Track
Kelp & Seagrass
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2020 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
2020_abstractID_4313
Start Date
22-4-2020 12:30 PM
End Date
22-4-2020 2:00 PM
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Kelp--Harvesting--Washington (State)--Whidbey Island; Kelp--Ecology--Washington (State)--Whidbey Island
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Whidbey Island (Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Recreational Kelp Harvest Impacts
Intertidal recreational kelp harvest is popular during spring and summer low tides on western Whidbey Island beaches in the Smith and Minor Islands Aquatic Reserve (SMIAR). Little is known about recreational kelp harvest pressure, harvester practices and potential harvest impacts in the aquatic reserve. To address this knowledge gap, the SMIAR Citizen Stewardship Committee and the DNR Aquatic Reserve Program jointly conducted a two-part study at Libbey Beach. (1) Harvester surveys: From 2015-2018, the SMIAR Citizen Stewardship Committee and DNR measured wet weight of harvester buckets and conducted harvester interviews at Libbey Beach. (2) Kelp harvest treatment study: From 2017-2018, DNR led a treatment study to investigate within-year and between-year effects of kelp harvested using two different methods: a) sustainable harvest (cut 30 cm above the holdfast), and b) unsustainable harvest (cut at the stipe) of Alaria marginata (winged or ribbon kelp) and Saccharina (split-leaf kelp and sugar kelp).
