Frequently asked questions

How is the SKRP actively addressing issues of climate change in their work? 

 Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services are a crucial part of global efforts to combat climate change. That’s because healthy, wild populations of plant, animal and fungi species play an essential role in regulating the global carbon cycle, which in turn helps to maintain a stable climate and make our planet habitable.  Currently half the C02 emissions humanity generates are absorbed by the ecosystems on land and in the sea(1).

As kelp provide a nursery, food source and shelter for many types of marine life including commercial fish species, they encourage biodiversity which in turns means more living things can become part of the carbon cycle.

Coastal habitats like kelp can also minimise some of the impacts of climate change. Large amounts of healthy kelp beds for example, can absorb and moderate incoming wave energy to reduce the coastal erosion caused by increased storms(2).

By championing and enabling the recovery of seabed ecosystems at scale, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project seeks to help Sussex both adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts by contributing to the regulation of the global carbon cycle, and by facilitating the return of ecosystem services that increase coastal resilience for nature and people.

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How much carbon will kelp bed recovery help to remove?

Like all photosynthesising organisms, kelp removes carbon from the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide and converting this into tissue. This 'organic' carbon will return to the atmosphere if the tissue breaks down through natural processes such as rotting. In this way kelp plays a vital role in cycling carbon through the system.

Due to climate change, there is great interest in finding ways to capture (sequester) and store atmospheric carbon over long periods of time (>100 years), otherwise known as carbon storage.

The obvious mechanism for carbon storage from plants is its emersion into the creation of new soil. However, kelp do not possess a buried root structure as their holdfast sits on top of firm substrate. When kelp die and, unless they are buried, any kelp exposed to the elements will decompose and ultimately return captured carbon to the atmosphere. Burial can occur naturally under certain conditions i.e. when kelp matter is carried out to the deep-sea and sinks into the sediment on the seafloor. However, it is very difficult to measure the amount of kelp being buried and it is likely to be highly variable due to characteristics of local currents and seabed topography. This means there is uncertainty over the value of kelp habitat as a carbon store.

Most of the research to date on this topic has been based on the giant kelp species found on the Pacific coast of North America which have different characteristics to the species found in Sussex. In addition, the English Channel is shallow, whereas the deep-sea trenches in the Pacific offer genuine carbon storage security.

The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project aims to provide some answers to questions about kelp carbon cycles at a local level and may even inform the development of a quantifiable kelp carbon sequestration rate, though this is still some years away.

Ultimately, kelp is a key species in a broader ecosystem and the presence of kelp will stimulate other parts of the trophic levels in Sussex seas, with all marine life being carbon based.  This is referred to as ‘animating the carbon cycle’ and reminds us that healthy marine ecosystems are better at capturing and storing carbon than those that are depleted.

What is the SKRP position on carbon offsetting/trading from kelp?

Kelp provides many vital ecosystem services. It improves biodiversity, protects our coasts from erosion, filters water, and plays a role in the carbon cycle. But these ecosystem services (and those provided by other species) have long been underappreciated and this has been a contributing factor in widespread habitat loss. The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project, in accordance with the Sussex Nature Partnership’s Natural Capital Investment Strategy, recognises that assessing these services in financial terms helps emphasise the value of nature to society, and can in turn unlock finance that means habitats are protected or created.

Some kelp species, like those found in Sussex, are chronically understudied so it is not yet understood how well they sequester and store carbon (many existing studies are based on giant kelp in North America which have different characteristics and environmental factors). The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project’s research programme aims to provide some answers to this and may even inform the development of a quantifiable kelp carbon sequestration rate, though this is still some years away. In the meantime, the SKRP is seeking to recover the once vast kelp beds of Sussex (along with their ecosystem services) to help Sussex better adapt to the impacts of climate change on the Sussex coast.

The SKRP also believes that global carbon offsetting/trading on its own is not enough to combat climate change impacts, and that urgent and significant reduction in emissions is essential. In addition, protection of coastal and terrestrial habitats from further destruction will ensure that they can continue to act as natural carbon stores.

What is the SKRP position on active restoration of kelp? 

A key principle of rewilding championed by the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project is ‘letting nature lead’(1).

In Sussex, that means giving nature time to recover naturally now that a key pressure (trawling) has been removed from the area. It also means letting nature, via the SKRP’s research, monitoring and citizen science programme, tell us how existing habitats are changing due to the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw, and crucially, what other pressures might be affecting kelp’s recovery (for example, excess pollution or structural changes to the seabed).

Active restoration initiatives like planting or seeding kelp can be a resource intensive and uncertain process, so taking the time to understand these factors avoids effort being wasted on an intervention that isn’t likely to succeed.

Letting nature lead is also key to understanding if other habitats and species are more adapted to the new conditions in Sussex Bay. Although we’d love to see kelp come back, and the ambitions of the project are based around this, if it doesn’t return, but other essential fish habitats do, that is a successful outcome if those habitats are diverse, healthy and support biodiversity.

Recovery takes time, so it may take several years before we understand what’s happening on the seabed or observe significant change. SKRP may then decide that, based on the evidence, it is necessary to give nature a helping hand by undertaking active restoration activities.

While it is too early in the programme to consider whether active restoration is either necessary or possible, the SKRP are aware that there is an interest in planting kelp to help its recovery.

Therefore, we recommend anyone thinking about active restoration considers the following:

• To ensure the activity has no negative impact on existing habitats and species.

• That the activity has a robust geographical and ecological rationale. For example, if kelp is not recovering in certain areas because of a lack of rocky substrate or high turbidity, then the active restoration activity needs to address this.

• The genetic suitability of any spore stock e.g. that it is native to the area.

• The species composition of historic habitats and to align restoration activity to this.

• That all appropriate licencing is in place.

• That there is a robust monitoring strategy in place to evaluate and share project outcomes.

Further guidance on kelp restoration can be found here: /TNC-KFA-Kelp-Guidebook-2022.pdf

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What is the SKRP position on kelp farming?

The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project’s mission is to support the natural recovery of kelp and other essential fish habitats in Sussex, so the development of kelp aquaculture (farming) as a commercial activity is not within its scope.

There are many socio-economic benefits from seaweed production for example, for use as sustainable fertiliser or livestock feed. However, there are also some risks. To ensure there are no unintended impacts to the natural recovery of kelp or to the wider marine ecosystem, the SKRP recommend that the following principles are adhered to in any kelp farming activities in Sussex waters (whether within the byelaw area or outside):

• Any species cultured within a seaweed farm needs to be a species native to the area, and from local (Sussex) genetic provenance.

• Any impact the infrastructure may have on the seabed needs to be rigorously assessed – this may be formalised by an Environmental Impact Assessment as part of the license application process managed by the appropriate authorities.

• An assessment of how a farm might interact with the natural process of kelp restoration should be undertaken and used to understand the most appropriate location for farming activities (alongside the above).

• Any impact on local fisheries needs to be carefully considered. Bottom-towed fishing gear has been removed from the area, but static gears remain; the interaction between seaweed aquaculture and other fishing needs to be understood and an impact assessment should be undertaken.

We also recommend reviewing the seaweed cultivation guidelines provided by the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT).

What will happen to kelp on the beach?

The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project aims to support the recovery of kelp and other essential fish habitats across the area where kelp beds were once historically dense. If the kelp returns at scale, it should boost biodiversity, support commercial fisheries, and produce other ecosystem services that benefit nature, people and planet. However, one consequence of healthy kelp in Sussex is that more of it will wash up on the beach, which some people may feel is unsightly and off-putting to visitors. The Sussex Kelp Recovery Project and its partners including Adur & Worthing Councils, recognises that this could be a concern for local residents.

We are some years away having enough kelp growing in Sussex waters for this to be a tangible concern, but work has already started to demonstrate Sussex kelps value as an excellent non-toxic fertiliser.  Given this, future arrangements that will be discussed with local farmers may include collecting excess kelp from the beach without charge. Other innovative ways of using kelp will also be explored. 

What can/will SKRP do to limit other damaging impacts on kelp e.g. sources of sediment?

While the Sussex IFCA Nearshore Trawling Byelaw removed a key direct pressure (trawling) on the recovery of kelp in Sussex, other pressures remain.  SKRP partners are reviewing the barriers and optimal conditions for natural kelp recovery and growth, to identify what other impacts need addressing so that the kelp to recover naturally.

Sediment is one of the key impacts on kelp development as it can smother the rocky habitats that kelp attach to and reduce the levels of light that kelp needs to grow.  In 2021 and 2022, the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project undertook various activities that explored the causes and impacts of sedimentation in Sussex, including running workshops with key stakeholders and experts, canvasing sea users on their observations, and compiling a new report discussing Sussex Coastal Sediments.

Next steps, in addition to continuing to monitor sediment’s effect on kelp as it recovers, will be to investigate what actions can reduce the causes of sedimentation.

What is SKRP’s view on sewage and how it will impact kelp recovery?

The impact of high levels of nutrients and contaminants in the water column on Sussex kelp is not yet understood but is something the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project would like to study in the future.

Kelp has been known to grow in areas where sewage is discharged and can possibly play a role in absorbing nutrients (1). This may mean that sewage is less of an issue affecting kelp recovery than other pressures such as dredging.  This does not detract from the fact that sewerage discharges into Sussex Seas are not acceptable from a public health and amenity perspective.  Additionally excess nutrients in the marine environment can ultimately lead to algal blooms, which are extremely detrimental to all wildlife.

If you’re concerned about sewage outfalls in your area, we recommend downloading the Safer Seas Service app from Surfers Against Sewage, or visiting Southern Water’s Beachbuoy tool, which provides near real-time information about storm release activity near coastal bathing waters.

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Why was the Nearshore Trawling Byelaw implemented?

The Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) takes an ecosystem approach to the area under its management (the shoreline to 6 nautical miles), recognising the need to protect marine natural capital and the ecosystem services derived from it, including commercial and recreational fisheries, water quality, shoreline protection and carbon sequestration. 

One extremely important marine habitat in Sussex that had severely declined over recent decades were the extensive kelp beds between Shoreham and Selsey Bill. These beds had supported a wealth of marine life, but the once excellent inshore fisheries for species such as lobsters, bass, cuttlefish and black bream had all but disappeared along with the kelp.

To address this and support long term sustainable inshore fisheries (a primary IFCA duty), Sussex IFCA implemented the Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. The Byelaw’s main purpose is to enable essential fish habitats, spawning grounds and fish and shellfish nursery areas to recover and to achieve their full biological potential as healthy ecosystems by protecting them from the impacts of nearshore trawling.

Following the statutory Byelaw consultation process and Sussex IFCA’s approval, the final Byelaw regulation was approved by the Secretary of State and became law on the 18th March 2021.