The Help Our Kelp Act requires the Commerce Department to establish a grant program to conserve, restore, and manage kelp forest ecosystems along U.S. coasts. Eligible applicants include fishing industry members, universities, nonprofits, Native American tribes, state agencies, and local governments, though they must collaborate with at least one other eligible entity and submit a detailed application. Funded projects would address regional kelp forest declines through activities like ecosystem monitoring, predator control (such as sea urchin removal), integration of Indigenous knowledge, and restoration efforts that do not involve commercial harvesting. The bill authorizes $5 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, with at least $750,000 per year reserved for grants to Indian tribes, though this amount can be redirected to other applicants if tribes don't apply. Grant recipients must provide matching funds covering at least 15 percent of project costs, though this requirement can be waived for certain tribal projects deemed to have substantial public benefits.
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