Squaxin Island Tribe, state work to conserve kelp

The Squaxin Island kelp bed is the last major kelp bed in South Puget Sound and has declined 97% since 2013, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

The Squaxin Island Tribe and DNR plan to conserve the kelp bed and create a "priority habitat zone" to protect and restore the bed, according to a DNR news release.

"Squaxin people have been stewarding these waters and lands for thousands of years. Kelp beds have also been stewarding these waters for thousands of years, providing nourishment and a critical ecosystem for the many plants, animals, and fish of the Salish Sea. Sadly, w...