Commercial Harvest of Kelp and Other Marine Algae

There are 87 administrative kelp beds located offshore of California’s mainland and surrounding the Channel Islands. The kelp beds contain giant or bull kelp, or a combination of both. As of December 2020, each kelp bed falls within one of the following management categories:

All commercial harvesters of marine algae must purchase an annual commercial kelp harvester license and abide by commercial algae harvest regulations (California Code of Regulations [CCR], Title 14, Sections 165 and 165.5).  Eelgrass (Zostera species) and surfgrass (Phyllospadix species) are prohibited from commercial harvest.

A commercial kelp harvesting license can be purchased from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) by emailing CDFW's Marine Region. You may also call CDFW at (562) 342-7100 to request an application.

Commercial Marine Algae Harvest Data

Commercial kelp harvest logbook data for giant and bull kelp, 1931-2019

Commercial edible algae harvest logbook data, 1997-2019

Informational Digest: Regulations Governing the Commercial Harvest of Kelp and Other Marine Algae in California

• Informational Digest (PDF) (4.4 MB)
  Includes the following:
  
  • General information on the commercial harvest of kelp, edible marine algae, and agar-bearing algae
  • Fish and Game Code Sections 6650-6751: Regulations for the Commercial Harvest of Kelp and Other Aquatic Plants
  • CCR Title 14, Sections 165 and 165.5: Regulations for the Commercial Harvest of Kelp and Other Aquatic Plants
  • Commercial Kelp Harvester's Monthly Report
  • Commercial Edible Seaweed/Agar Harvester's Monthly Report

• Attachment 1: Administrative Kelp Bed Maps
  State marine protected areas, marine recreational management areas, and special closures noted
  • Southern California Maps (PDF)
  • Central California Maps (PDF)
  • North Central California Maps (PDF)
  • Northern California Maps (PDF)

• Attachment 2: Nearshore Fishing Block Maps used for Commercial Edible Seaweed and Agar Algae Harvest (PDF) (4.3 MB)
  State marine protected areas, marine recreational management areas, and special closures noted

California Department of Public Health

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) regulates all commercially manufactured and processed food for human consumption in California. For more information on CDPH regulations, requirements, and permitting, refer to the CDPH website.

Further Information:

• Kelp and Other Marine Algae Regulations:
  • Commercial Fishing Digest (PDF)
  • CCR Title 14, Sections 165 and 165.5
  • California Fish and Game Code, Sections 6650-6751
• Marine Protected Area Regulations:
  • CCR Title 14, Section 632
  • California Marine Protected Areas
• California Fish and Game Commission
• California Administrative Kelp Bed Boundaries:
  • GIS shapefile layer
  • MarineBIOS
• California Fishing Blocks (for edible algae harvest reporting):
  • GIS shapefile layer
  • MarineBIOS