Underwater Invader Arrives From Asia

According to Chela Zabin, PhD, the waters of Northern California are being invaded, so to speak, by undaria pinnatifida, which a very fast growing kelp native to Asia. It was first noticed in the Los Angeles – Long Beach Area in 2000, and has now spread as far south as Ensenada. Until recently, it hadn’t been seen north of Monterey. But now it’s been found in several places around San Francisco Bay.

At this point, it’s unclear how severe a threat undaria presents. But if it were to strongly compete with or interfere with giant kelp, which is our dominant kelp, and which plays a critical role in our underwater ecosystem, it would be bad news. At this point, it seems to be like a few weeds on a lawn. If it’s not checked now, the consequences are uncertain, but they could be bad.

Zabin and her colleagues at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center &
University of California, Davis, which is located in Tiburon, would love to hear from anyone who notices any such kelp. They would particularly appreciate it if you could email them a cell phone photo of what you find. The address is [email protected]. An flyer giving more in-depth info can be found on the Latitude 38 website.