Once stretching 40km along the Sussex coast, kelp beds provided vital habitat for marine life, improved water quality, protected the coastline, and stored carbon. Today, only 4% remain due to trawling, dredging, storms, and sedimentation. In 2021, the Sussex IFCA introduced the Nearshore Trawling Bylaw, banning bottom-towed fishing gear across 300km² to help restore kelp. This led to the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project (SKRP), a collaborative effort focused on research, community engagement, and removing barriers to recovery. High sediment levels were identified as a key threat, and SKRP is now investigating causes and solutions to enable long-term kelp restoration.