Restoring kelp in Øksfjord: part 2.

In October 2025, together with volunteers and locals, and in collaboration with Lopphavet Marine Protected Area and Arctic Lux, we began restoring a kelp forest in Øksfjord. The second and final phase of the project took place in spring 2026. Now is time to share what we learned along the way.

A patch of kelp near Øksfjord, May 2026.

From overfishing to urchin barren

Sea urchins are often blamed for the disappearance of kelp forests in Northern Norway. But sea urchins and kelp have always been part of the same ecosystem, evolving alongside each other and coexisting in balance. The turning point came when overfishing removed many of the predators that once kept sea urchin populations in check.

Øksfjord is a familiar sight along much of the coast of Northern Norway: a place where a once-thriving underwater forest has been replaced by barren seabed. Small patches of kelp still remain, but most of the coastline is now dominated by bare rocks and dense populations of sea urchins, a landscape that tells the story of a disrupted ecosystem.

The urchin barren along the jetty in Øksfjord, October 2025.

April 2026: the Kelpers in Øksfjord

When we returned to Øksfjord in late April 2026, six months had passed since our previous visit. We did not know what to expect. Had the sea urchins returned and continued grazing the seabed, or had the restoration site begun to recover?

The Kelpers in Øksfjord, 26 April 2026.

Seaweed explosion

What we saw during our first dive exceeded anything we had imagined.

At first glance, a thick layer of seaweed had grown where the urchin barren initially was. Sealace (Chorda filum) had colonized the bedrock, along with sea sorel (Desmarestia viridis).

A kelper at the restoration site in Øksfjord, April 2026.

Sealace (Chorda filum) on the left, sea sorel (Desmarestia viridis) on the right and a red sea urchin (Echinus esculentus).

Six months later, the contrast was striking. The limits of the restoration site were clearly visible: inside, a carpet of seaweed had returned; outside, sea urchins were still abundant, keeping the seabed completely bare.

The limit of the restoration site, April 2026.

At our other restoration sites in Tromsø, we had already observed that sea urchins tend to avoid recolonizing areas where other urchins have been crushed. At least for some time. This has led us to wonder whether crushed urchins release a chemical signal that warns others to stay away.

What about kelp?

A closer look revealed that several species of kelp were also making a comeback, although more discreetly. As urchins seemed to avoid the sealace, kelp spores had been able to setlle and grow.

Young kelp growing among the sea lace in Øksfjord, May 2026.

According to our scientific partner Camilla With Fagerli, at the Norwegian institute for water research-NINA, "sealace is a pioneer species that can establish rapidly, and it is possible that other kelp species will colonize the area over time. Sealace is an annual species and disappears in the autumn, meaning it does not prevent kelp spores from establishing the following year".

Close up of sealace or Chorda filum.

Marine biologist Paul E. Renaud, our scientific partner at Akvaplan-niva agrees: "I also doubt sealace can inhibit kelp growth. They are often found together. I would guess that kelp growth will increase there over time, but it's good to keep an eye out".

Healthy tangle

We also documented that the tangle (or cuvie, or stortare in Norwegian, Laminaria hyperborea in latin) that had survived among the sea urchins was now thriving.

Without grazing sea urchins, the holdfast, the stipe (the "foot") and the blades (the "leaves") of the tangles looked healthy, and were colonized by a variety of marine organisms and red seaweed.

Patch of Laminaria hyperborea in October 2025.

The same Laminaria hyperborea in April 2026.

Swimming through this healthy kelp forest was an incredibly rewarding experience for all the Kelpers. For a moment, it was possible to imagine what these coastlines once looked like when kelp forests stretched for kilometres, supporting an extraordinary diversity of marine life.

Most of the time, we cannot see what has been lost. But within this small restoration site, the contrast made it visible.

Healthy patch of Laminaria hyperborea at the restoration site in Øksfjord, May 2026.

What's next?

With the funding from Sparebankstiftelsen now at an end, we have to put the Øksfjord restoration project on hold. Looking back, the collaboration with Lopphavet Marine Protected Area and Arctic Lux has been truly rewarding. We were warmly welcomed by the local community, and it was a pleasure to work alongside the volunteers who joined the restoration events in October 2025 and April 2026.

The jetty in Øksfjord, October 2025.

The project has already sparked local engagement, with some residents in Øksfjord purchasing freediving equipment of their own. We hope they will continue the restoration work we started and take ownership of the project.

We will continue to support these local efforts whenever we can by sharing our experience, providing advice, and offering supervision. Our hope for Øksfjord is to return twice a year with volunteers to help maintain the restoration site and document how it evolves over the years.

The Kelpers in Øksfjord, October 2025.

"If we want to restore the kelp forest that once existed along the coast of Finnmark, it is essential to also bring back predatory fish such as wolffish and coastal cod. And if there is one thing we have learned from this project, it is that we can bring back a kelp forest full of life if we give nature the space it needs to grow and restore." Anita Holmgren Manager of Lopphavet Marine Protected Area, June 2026.

The photographers

In all our projects, reporting our work is just as important as carrying it out, and compelling images help bring that story to life. We are especially grateful to two professional underwater photographers who played a key role in documenting the Øksfjord project: Ismaele Tortella and Ann Cools.

Movie director and wildlife cinematographer Ismaele Tortella in Øksfjord, May 2026.

Underwater amphibious photographer and story teller Ann Cools in Øksfjord, May 2026.

Four more photos by Ismaele Tortella and Ann Cools

A male lumpfish hides in the kelp forest, Øksfjord, May 2026.

King crab in Øksfjord, May 2026.

Napping in kelp, Øksfjord, May 2026.

Wall of anemones in Øksfjord, May 2026.

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We would like to thank the main sponsors of this project: Sparebankstiftelsen Sparebank1 Nord-Norge and Norges Råfisklag. We also want to thank the local businesses Støa, Øksfjord Fiskeindustri and Loppakroa for their sponsorship. A big thank‑you as well to Øksfjord municipality and Høgtun school for their support, especially the teachers we worked with during the school days.