Kelp died out? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

FISH11 · 07-18-2020, 03:30 PM

The time line on the Science Dayly article on the link, is right on. I noticed if was disappearing in 2016. It used to be so thick out at La Jolla that even in a paddle kayak it was nearly impossible to cut accross the shallows when coming back from the south. As far as a hobie with mirrage drive, it was absolutely impossible. Used to have to go out much further west, just to get around the point, because the kelp went out much further in that area. Now the only kelp is only on the outskirts. If you go inside it's like a burned out forest. There is nothing there. Those who think it coming back are fooling themselves, or haven't fished La Jolla very long. And as far as the bull kelp you don't see almost any, even when the loster boats are there daily during the lobster season and cutting it all up when they drag their traps up. I beleive from fishing almost weekly there that the kelp is easily 75% less then used to be normal, before 2016. If the water continues to stay or get warmer, the fishing will get even worse.

skrilla · 07-18-2020, 05:00 PM

I was reading 76° temps on the way in last week in LJ. Kelp was lighter colored and bleached out. I remember surfing in late 90's and early 00's it was only a short paddle to the beds from the LJ reefs.

FullFlavorPike · 07-19-2020, 01:29 PM

I have some good memories of diving LJ kelp back in like 2012 when I was first diving out there and it was so thick you could swim into these huge kelp rooms where the mat on the surface would block out the sun's light from above.

JohnMckroidJr · 07-20-2020, 10:04 AM

We use to have this conversation about the diminished kelp forest back in the 1980s. Russ Izor would bring kelp stringers from Catalina Island to try to re-plant the Palos Verdes Peninsula. At one time there was a giant Horse Shoe Kelp forest right outside of Los Angeles Harbor. As our population grows, so does the environmental footprint. Kelp beds have died correspondingly and one study found that the only thing that could survive on the sewage at Whites Point outfall was the Sea Urchin.

07-18-2020, 03:30 PM	#1
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	The time line on the Science Dayly article on the link, is right on. I noticed if was disappearing in 2016. It used to be so thick out at La Jolla that even in a paddle kayak it was nearly impossible to cut accross the shallows when coming back from the south. As far as a hobie with mirrage drive, it was absolutely impossible. Used to have to go out much further west, just to get around the point, because the kelp went out much further in that area. Now the only kelp is only on the outskirts. If you go inside it's like a burned out forest. There is nothing there. Those who think it coming back are fooling themselves, or haven't fished La Jolla very long. And as far as the bull kelp you don't see almost any, even when the loster boats are there daily during the lobster season and cutting it all up when they drag their traps up. I beleive from fishing almost weekly there that the kelp is easily 75% less then used to be normal, before 2016. If the water continues to stay or get warmer, the fishing will get even worse. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

07-18-2020, 05:00 PM	#2
skrilla Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 664	I was reading 76° temps on the way in last week in LJ. Kelp was lighter colored and bleached out. I remember surfing in late 90's and early 00's it was only a short paddle to the beds from the LJ reefs. __________________ Urban Camo Trident 13

07-19-2020, 01:29 PM	#3
FullFlavorPike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 810	I have some good memories of diving LJ kelp back in like 2012 when I was first diving out there and it was so thick you could swim into these huge kelp rooms where the mat on the surface would block out the sun's light from above.

07-20-2020, 10:04 AM	#4
JohnMckroidJr Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Fort Lauderdale Posts: 1,959	We use to have this conversation about the diminished kelp forest back in the 1980s. Russ Izor would bring kelp stringers from Catalina Island to try to re-plant the Palos Verdes Peninsula. At one time there was a giant Horse Shoe Kelp forest right outside of Los Angeles Harbor. As our population grows, so does the environmental footprint. Kelp beds have died correspondingly and one study found that the only thing that could survive on the sewage at Whites Point outfall was the Sea Urchin.