Protect kelp forests

Abstract

Kelp forests support biodiversity, human livelihoods, and essential ecosystem services along 30% of the world’s coasts, but they are under threat from marine heatwaves, harvesting, pollution, and overfishing (1). Despite increased advocacy for their global protection, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature Seaweed Specialist Group (2) and the Kelp Forest Challenge (3), the social and ecological losses from kelp forest degradation continue to grow (4). Political action will be required at national and international levels to coordinate and implement strategic, integrated, tangible protection measures for kelp forests globally (5). Most countries have committed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and pledged to effectively protect and manage 30% of marine ecosystems by 2030 (6), particularly those critical for biodiversity. However, only 2.9% of the ocean is currently inside fully protected Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) (7), which are the most effective tool for biodiversity conservation (7) and climate resilience (8). Moreover, the framework does not specify which ecosystems should be prioritized.About 35% of floating kelp forests are located in the waters of Latin American countries (9), which remain far from meeting the 2030 targets. Mexico has lost more than 50% of its kelp forests as a result of recent marine heatwaves (10). Chile and Peru have witnessed large-scale degradation from direct extraction (11), leading to drastic biodiversity loss.