Kelp Ark
AltaSea campus, Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro) · South Coast
What they do
Kelp Ark is a restoration-focused kelp biobank housed on the AltaSea campus at the Port of Los Angeles. It preserves the genetic diversity of Southern California's kelp by banking live sporophytes and genetically distinct gametophyte cultures, and by identifying and crossbreeding strains that can survive in warmer waters. The biobank now holds more than 80 kelp plants and upward of 2,600 genetically distinct strains representing 12 kelp species. Kelp Ark also operates in crisis-response mode: after the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires it quickly collected live kelp from forests likely to be damaged by toxic runoff, adding 17 specimens from fire-impacted coastlines. The goal is to keep healthy, genetically diverse specimens ready for ecosystem restoration as warming waters and emerging threats stress California's kelp forests.
Seed offerings
| Species | Seed form | Status | Season and lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant kelp | gametophyte culture | Research only | Banked gametophyte cultures held year-round for restoration and research collaborations.By research or restoration agreement; not sold commercially. |