This video by Stephen Pacetti shows a dive through Coral Street on April 18, 2022. Coral Street, Pacific Grove, CA is just one of the many urchin barrens within Marine Protected Areas of the Monterey Bay. Prior to 2014 this dive site supported a lush, high biodiversity kelp forest.
Our petition to restore kelp at this site was denied by the California Fish & Game Commission in Feb. 2022.
Our goal is to restore kelp in Monterey's Marine Protected Areas
G2KR submitted a petition in Dec. 2021 to the California Fish and Game Commission to allow expansion or our successful kelp restoration work into Ed Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area, Pacific Grove Marine Gardens State Marine Conservation Area, and Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area. All three "protected" areas have experienced huge kelp losses and have extensive, persistent urchin barrens. Our petition was denied.
We are now working with CDFW to develop a Scientific Collecting Permit to cull urchins at these locations soon, hopefully in the spring of 2023. Please stay posted for opportunities to participate in the campaign!