News & Stories

In the last week of November, Øksfjord had a visit from artist Emma Gunnarsson from Arctic Lux. She and the marine protected area manager Anita Holmgren have brought the kelp forest into the classrooms at Høgtun School and up to the health center through art, pictures and stories.

From now on, anyone — anywhere in the world — can join our mission to restore kelp forests in Tromsø! Download the Rissa Citizen Science app and start counting sea urchins to be part of this growing global citizen science movement!

For two weeks in October, a passionate team of divers and volunteers came together with one mission: to restore a kelp forest along the Øksfjord jetty. We also had the pleasure of engaging with the local school through outreach activities. Before we dive into the next stage, we’d love to share our progress with you!

Using stunning footage captured by documentary filmmaker and cinematographer Ismaele Tortella, Roel Melman shares his experience in Øksfjord, Finnmark, where he joined fellow volunteers to help restore a kelp forest.

This project is an outreach initiative aimed at connecting young people and the local community in Loppa municipality more closely with the sea and its kelp forests. With Sparebankstiftelsen’ support, the Lopphavet Marine Protected Area, Rissa Citizen Science, artist Emma Gunnarsson from Arctic Lux and film director Ismaele Tortella are joining forces to raise awareness about the value of these underwater jungles while working to restore a kelp forest in Øksfjord.

The first time Ann Cools joined a Rissa Citizen Science event was to restore seaweed forests in Tromsø. She was the very first to photograph the restoration site in Telegrafbukta, documenting the urchin barren, before turning her lens to the city center site at Sørsjetéen, where underwater forests have returned thanks to the Kelpers. Meet Ann Cools, one of Rissa Citizen Science’s strongest supporters, and a true source of inspiration for us.

Jacqueline Kärcher, Florentine Schäfermeier and Martha Steinmetz formed the Creative Pack, experiencing Rissa Citizen Science’s work through their artistic lens. They’ve now gathered the material they need, and it will take some time before we see what emerges from their creative minds. In the meantime, the three artists kindly share a glimpse of their story with us.

Together with a team of committed volunteers, we conducted a survey of the site to measure sea urchin density and record the presence of other marine life. This initial assessment will provide valuable insight into the current state of the ecosystem and serve as a baseline for the upcoming restoration work.

On the 10th of May, Rissa Citizen Science teamed up with SUT and Redningselskapet to organize a shore and underwater cleanup between Sørsjetéen and Polaria. This effort was part of the Byryddedagene (City Cleanup Days) and supported by Hold Norge Rent in order to protect the beauty and health of our communities.

Sørsjetéen—a 200-meter jetty in the heart of Tromsø—was once a barren seafloor, overrun by sea urchins. But thanks to the efforts of the “Kelpers,” one side has been brought back to life. Now, it’s a vibrant underwater jungle teeming with marine life. Time to share the results!

While continuing our restoration efforts at Sørsjetéen, we have begun restoring kelp forests in Telegrafbukta, at the southern tip of Tromsø Island. The first step was to map the site.

Watch Sigurd Vaagland’s film about kelp forest restoration at Sørsjetéen in Tromsø, highlighting a grassroots effort led by Rissa Citizen Science.

We are celebrating Clément Brun's Oceanographic article: a firsthand account of his role in reviving the kelp forest in Tromsø city center.