Sunflower Star Sightings Spark Hope for Future of Kelp Forests

June 9, 2026

Last summer, scientists discovered four sunflower stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides) in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary! This is promising news, as sea stars suffered a massive die-off ten years ago as a result of sea star wasting disease during the largest marine epidemic ever recorded, which also devastated kelp forests. This is because sunflower stars help keep kelp-eating sea urchin populations in check by consuming them as prey. Along with the presence of other environmental stressors, the loss of sunflower stars was associated with an explosion in the urchin population, which consumed vast amounts of bull kelp. The result: a 90% loss of valuable kelp habitat in the sanctuary, which led to active restoration efforts in partnership with the Greater Farallones Association.

NOAA Diver Tyler Mears joined "Pycnopalooza," a large sea star search led by Sonoma State University, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, and Greater Farallones Association. The event is named for the sunflower star's genus Pycnopodia. After his experience of scuba diving and spotting several stars on a dive, Mears said, "For those who'd seen them prior to wasting disease, it must have been akin to seeing an old friend, but I felt more like a stunned paleontologist seeing a dinosaur."

In total, divers participating in Pycnopalooza found 18 of the ecologically important stars! These sightings, combined with the recent discovery of the cause of sea star wasting disease (the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida), offer hope. As more pieces come together in this ocean mystery, we move closer to understanding how species disruptions and recoveries affect entire ecosystems amid ongoing ocean change.

Meanwhile, captive-rearing projects offer hope of reintroducing genetically-selected disease-resistant individuals to the wild, while recent experiments on the use of environmental DNA to detect P. helianthoides in the marine environment could allow researchers and local divers to find the sea stars without relying solely on scuba surveys. Read more about this project on the NOAA Fisheries website.

Jennifer Stock is the education specialist and media coordinator for Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries

Rachel Plunkett is the content manager and senior writer editor for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries