Historical Kelp Inventory

List of Reports

In 1975 the Provincial Government undertook a program to locate and quantify the standing crop of economically important kelp crops, bull kelp Nereocystis luetkeanaa and giant kelp Macrocystis integrifolia.

Kelp inventory method (KIM-1) developed by Foreman (1975) was used throughout to inventory standing stocks of the major bed-forming kelps. Kelp bed area and density information was obtained from infrared aerial photographs. This was combined with density and mean weight per plant data obtained from field samples to derive biomass estimates for each permanently numbered one kilometer wide section of coastal waters.

The method in its basic form combines bed area, density and species information taken from infrared aerial photographs with field-determined information on bed structure and mean plant weight, to provide species-specific biomass estimates for each kilometer-wide section of coastline.

Eleven areas underwent the process of detailed chart and stock estimate preparation using KIM-1 between 1975 and 1996 in BC.

Reports

Kelp Inventory 1996. Porcher Island, Goschen Island, Banks Island and the Estevan Group
Kelp Inventory 1995. Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound & Hesquiat Peninsula; 1975
Hakai Passage to Bardswell Group; 1993
Kelp Inventory 1989. The Vancouver Island and Malcolm Island Shores of Queen Charlotte Strait
Kelp Inventory 1988. Juan de Fuca Strait
Kelp Inventory 1978. Northwest Coast of Vancouver Island
Kelp Inventory 1976. Part 1. The Esteven Group and Campania Island
Dundas Group; 1976
North & West Graham Island Queen Charlotte Islands; 1976
Kelp Inventory 1976. Part 4. Goschen Island to the Tree Nob Group
Kelp Inventory 1976. Part 5. North Coast Vancouver Island, Hope, Nigei and Balaklava Islands

Maps

Datum is in the form of zipped shapefiles for 10 areas of interest.

Data is in BC standard Albers equal area conic projection:
(http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/gis/bceprojection.html)