to be, extremely labor and time intensive, 

 and may be impossible to implement on a 

 large scale. This all suggests that the 

 most effective management is preventing 

 degradation rather than attempting local 

 cures after degradation has occurred. 

 Thus, management via more stringent water 

 quality standards for existing and future 

 ocean discharges of all sorts, and via 

 fishing regulations that do not allow 

 drastic population reductions before 

 significant regulation occurs, is most 

 appropriate and probably essential to 

 natural restoration and the prevention of 

 future resource losses. 



rank various basic and applied research 

 areas. Basic population studies (recruit- 

 ment, growth, mortality, reproduction) of 

 "important" kelp forest organisms, studies 

 of physical processes that structure kelp 

 ecosystems, and the functional role of 

 biological processes such as competition 

 and predation received the highest 

 rankings for basic research. Studies of 

 the biological and socio-economic con- 

 sequences of possible sea otter management 

 alternatives, multi-species approaches to 

 biological and economic modeling, and 

 stock enhancement received the highest 

 ranking among applied research needs. 



7.3 RESEARCH NEEDS 



We have recommended needed research 

 in a number of places in the profile, 

 particularly in Chapter 5 and in the 

 generalizations above. These suggestions 

 are generally in accord with those of 

 others who work in kelp forests. At a 

 1979 meeting of kelp forest biologists 

 (Anon 1979), participants were asked to 



Research needs will change, but these 

 suggested studies, done and interpreted in 

 the context of site types and spatial and 

 temporal scales outlined above, would 

 certainly improve our understanding of 

 kelp forest communities and help solve 

 some of the problems associated with man's 

 use of them. 



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