Control of Kelp

[KUS]

So I was gonna get my kayak out there and a machete to remove some of the kelp at the best wave/gybe spot at Klover. I figure puncturing the "float" this would take care of things.....not sure after reading this:

"The direct impact on the forests is considered minimal because the canopy is often replaced rapidly by the growth of fronds from the base of the plants. Moreover, the alga is perennial and the reproductive portions of the algae are located at the base of the plant and remain intact during and subsequent to the removal of the canopy. Thus, the algae are able to reproduce and forests persist in the face of large-scale mechanical extraction.
The extraction of bull kelp is problematic. Extraction is primarily by hand from a boat and, like giant kelp, limited to the upper 2 m of the forest. However, the source of buoyancy that keeps the alga upright, and the reproductive organs of bull kelp, are located at the top of the alga and are thereby removed when the upper portion of the alga is cut off. Although bull kelp is an annual, with life spans generally limited to one year, individual plants must reproduce prior to death for forests to persist from one generation to the next. Removal of the upper portion of the plant prior to reproduction can potentially preclude the production of subsequent generations. Because the spores of bull kelp are thought to move very short distances (10’s of meters), local impairment of reproduction might terminate the persistence of a forest."

At the risk of being labeled an eco terrorist, any thoughts anyone? I am just talking about removing a few square meters here off the reef.....

[Starboard Steve]

I'm thinking it might be a bad idea messing with the kelp.

[Russian Dood]

You mean it may have powerful friends? Or is it just bad karma?

[GWIND]

Let us know when this event may occur, my friend from Check 6 would like to film the " impairment of reproduction", for National geographic.

[Windsurfish]

Hey KUS, dried or fresh kelp makes a fair soup addition, to help stop flatulence in bean stews.
Of course, you might get into hot soup in your harvest attempts.....
A note from personal experience from surfing 'trimmed' kelp areas - at low/mid tides, the nasty cut stalks punch up through the chop/waves and dent boards worse than sailing/surfing through the fronds themselves. They can be downright scary in a surf break - like rods of wood that shoot straight up out of the water in the suck back from the wave, all aimed at your board with a vengeance....

[warmwindynights]

your thinking of hacking the kelp, so you can jibe...
maybe, take a few more days and think about it....

[AC]

It may be hard as Kelp is the fastest growing weed in the world.
up to 1 foot a day..

[more force 4]

Just be thankful we don't have sea otters anymore, they ate the urchins which ate the kelp, and there was 100s or 1000s times as much kelp on the NWC generally pre-1800. Its very very good for the fishies - don't mess with it!

I think a few hard SE will thin it out way more than a madman in a kayak with a machete could anyway!

[Ross]

Several times back in the 80`s we would go out in canoes at Cook st , armed with machetes, and cut paths through the kelp. Worked for a while but quickly grew back. Problem was that we were using football fins back then that caught on to anything. Made for interesting veiwing for the tourists on the cliff.

[GWIND]

dried kelp soup

[AC]

I hear it makes good fertilizer ""

[Sandy Beach]

or sushi

[BK]

No problem... Just sharpen your fins and rails then wait for some wind!