OLYMPIA – Thanks to Rep. Greg Nance (D-Kitsap) bull kelp will get help making a comeback along Washington’s coastline. Governor Ferguson signed HB 1631 into law on Wednesday, April 16, officially marking the adoption of kelp as Washington’s state marine forest.
The Governor designated April 16 “Bull Kelp Day” by proclamation during the signing ceremony and named Bainbridge High senior Sebastian Ford “Washingtonian of the Day” for his work as a Youth Ocean Advocate.
“Students like Sebastian are the next generation of conservation leaders we need to protect Puget Sound,” said Nance. “While the challenges facing our endangered salmon and orca are significant, I know there’s youth champions like Sebastian out there ready to rise to the occasion, and that gives me great hope.”
For millions of years, kelp flourished along the coastline of the western United States from California up through Alaska, but over 80% of kelp canopies have disappeared due to industrialization, rising water temperatures, and ocean acidification.
“Bull kelp is a super seaweed and it’s the key to our Puget Sound comeback story,” said Nance. “Salmon, orca, and countless species count on kelp, but many folks have no idea that it exists at all. Today is an important step for Puget Sound recovery.”
Kelp forests are a backbone of the underwater food chain. They provide vital habitat for juvenile salmon to escape predators and get the nourishment needed after their journey from natal rivers onto the Pacific. They sequester carbon and filter pollution from the water and provide food for other aquatic animals, including southern resident orcas.
“If we lose the kelp canopy, we lose an entire ecosystem that will have a catastrophic cascading effect,” Nance said. “I’m grateful to Governor Ferguson for signing my bill today and recognizing the vital role of youth conservation leaders in protecting Puget Sound.”
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