{"id":21453,"date":"2025-02-12T13:19:53","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T18:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.merkley.senate.gov\/?p=21453"},"modified":"2025-02-12T16:19:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T21:19:56","slug":"huffman-merkley-reintroduce-bill-to-restore-critical-kelp-forests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.merkley.senate.gov\/es\/huffman-merkley-reintroduce-bill-to-restore-critical-kelp-forests\/","title":{"rendered":"Huffman, Merkley, Reintroduce Bill to Restore Critical Kelp Forests"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Help Our Kelp Act Would Improve Conditions for the Marine Life Central to Our Economy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington DC<\/strong> \u2013 Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) reintroduced the bicameral Help Our Kelp Act of 2025 to improve conditions for kelp forests and marine life. This legislation would invest federal resources to address the ongoing crises that kelp forest ecosystems face in Northern California, Southern Oregon, and across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last 50 years, more than 95% of kelp forests stretching from the South Coast of Oregon to the North Coast of California have been damaged due to a few different factors \u2013 specifically rising ocean temperatures that limit kelp growth, and spreading sea star wasting disease that removes a key predator of purple sea urchins and drives those overpopulated urchins to voraciously consume kelp. As the climate crisis worsens, water quality dips, and overfishing becomes commonplace, kelp forests are in decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cHealthy kelp ecosystems are essential not only to the stability and survival hundreds of marine species, but also to protecting coastlines, generating income for coastal communities, and supporting sustainable fisheries,\u201d said Rep. Huffman<\/strong>. \u201cAs we continue to see the decline of these ecosystems due to climate change, it\u2019s urgent that Congress steps in and passes much-needed federal assistance to help counter these challenges in our oceans. With this bill, we can take an important step toward improving and recovering conditions for kelp and other marine life before it\u2019s too late.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOregon\u2019s kelp forests provide critical habitats and food sources for the marine mammals, birds, and many fish species that support Oregon\u2019s commercial fishing industry, Tribes, and coastal economies,\u201d dijo el senador Merkley. <\/strong>“As these forests vanish, the wildlife that depends on kelp forests will struggle, throwing nature out of balance and leaving coastal and Tribal communities in uncharted waters. The Help Our Kelp Act will get us back on track and protect our ecosystems, our local economies, and our fishing industry.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKelp forests are key to helping keep our waters clean \u2014 and healthy waters make for healthy people,\u201d said Sen. King<\/strong>. \u201cHowever, climate change and human activity are having devastating consequences on our coastal ecosystems, putting at harm the iconic Maine fishery and our coastal communities. The Ayude a nuestra ley de algas marinas<\/em> is an important  investment that will help to restore these intricate, sensitive underwater habitats, and better protect Maine\u2019s waters and way of life. I want to thank my colleagues for acknowledging the importance of our kelp forests and am encouraged that we are coming together in the House and Senate to safeguard this critical ecological and economic resource.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

El Ayude a nuestra ley de algas marinas<\/em> of 2025<\/em> har\u00eda:<\/p>\n\n\n\n