Our Work at Capstan Island
Found on the west coast of Vancouver Island in Barkley Sound, Capstan Island is part of the Tseshaht First Nation’s ḥahuułi or traditional territory.
These waters were once home to a thriving kelp forest that supported rich marine diversity from sea otters to Pacific Herring. But rising ocean temperatures and overgrazing from sea urchins have caused canopy forming kelp species, like Giant Kelp and Bull Kelp, to disappear.
In partnership with the Tseshaht First Nation, Ocean Wise is working to restore these lost forests.
Our restoration efforts at Capstan Island focus on Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), the largest species of macroalgae in the world.
Forming dense canopies with its leafy blades, Giant Kelp forests provide the shade and safety for marine life to eat, rest, and nurse their young.
All the Giant Kelp transplanted at this restoration site was sourced from a nearby kelp farm owned by Chief Anne Mack of the Toquaht First Nation and operated by West Coast Kelp.
Because mature Giant Kelp was used for this restoration project, each algae had a well-developed holdfast, the root-like structure that anchors kelp to the seafloor.
Using biodegradable rubber bands, each holdfast was carefully secured to a rock before being lowered into the ocean. As the rubber bands naturally break down over time, the holdfast attaches itself to the rock, allowing the kelp to continue growing in its new home.
In total, nearly 2,000 Giant Kelp individuals were transplanted at this site.
Ocean Wise and the Tseshaht First Nation continue to monitor the Capstan Island restoration site through a combination of field visits by our team and diver surveys conducted along an established transect.
These reports will give us the data needed to track the survival and growth of the restored kelp, as well as any notable changes in biodiversity. Effective monitoring is an essential part of restoration as allows us to truly measure the success of the restoration so it can be replicated in the future.
To learn more about how we monitor the health of kelp forests, explore our Monitoring Kelp Forest Ecosystems Guidebook.
