Kelp forests are dense stands of kelp, a group of large brown algae, and are recognized as among the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. The waters around Point Lobos contain extensive kelp forests, and divers and kayakers reach others from Carmel River State Beach.
Kelp forests can fall apart when sea urchins overgraze them, which is why sea otters matter. The state’s marine protected areas around Carmel are one way to keep them healthy.
People harvest kelp directly to feed farmed abalone and to extract alginic acid, an ingredient in products such as toothpaste, and fisheries for kelp-associated species such as lobster and rockfish depend on it. Monterey Bay Aquarium was the first aquarium to exhibit a living kelp forest.