The CIMI Kelp project began in 2022 when current and former staff reunited and recognized an opportunity to combine their expertise and shared love of the ocean to better understand Catalina Island's changing kelp forests. With grant funding secured in 2023, we began fieldwork at Toyon Bay and Fox Landing.

That same year, giant kelp returned naturally to our study sites after approximately nine years without recruitment. This unexpected recovery shifted our focus beyond restoration alone to understanding why kelp returns, what conditions support its growth, and what allows it to persist.

Today, our team combines seafloor mapping, underwater surveys, and environmental monitoring to investigate kelp recovery and inform effective, cost-efficient conservation and restoration strategies.

Through CIMI's marine science education programs, we also bring our research to thousands of students each year, connecting real-world scientific discovery with hands-on ocean learning.