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There are lots of critters that feed on kelp. Most of them do better in warmer water. The most destructive of these are Sea Urchins. They do not necessarily eat the most, but they concentrate their efforts on the holdfast (root) of the plant. That cuts it away from the rocks and essentially dooms it. There are a few fish (mainly Sheepshead) that feed on Urchins, and some crabs too. Kelp die-offs help to keep Urchins in check, but the Purple Urchins can eat pretty much anything else that grows on the rocks. There used to be dive parties that would go out and smash urchins too. But now, with all of the MLPA area, it is almost pointless to do that. Their eggs spread to the current and cover most of the area between protected areas anyway. It is not a new phenomenon, I studied this cycle back in the early 80s in school. But the variables seem to be mutating a bit. On a positive note, we should see more Trigger Fish and possibly even Sea Otters due to the abundance of Urchins.
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