Translocated catfish thrive in artificial kelp forest

In 2025, researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research moved 20 catfish to artificial kelp forests in Melkøysundet outside Hammerfest, Northern Norway.

Nine of the fish have now been registered at the same location, indicating that they thrive in the artificial kelp forests.

The relocation experiment is part of the effort to restore the kelp forests along the northern Norwegian coast after they have been grazed down by sea urchins.

Sea urchins are a key part of the catfish's menu, and the catfish has therefore been returned to an area where it previously had an important function as a natural predator.

According to the institute, it will require studies over several years to determine whether the relocated catfish contribute to reducing the sea urchin population and the growth of new kelp forests.

"The next big question is whether we can achieve a high enough local density for the catfish to actually affect the ecosystem," says marine scientist Esben Moland Olsen.