Samish Indian Nation and researchers work to restore critically endangered sunflower sea stars

Sunflower sea stars, once abundant across the northeast Pacific, have declined by more than 90% since a wasting syndrome outbreak began in 2013. The species was listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2020.

Researchers at the University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories have been developing captive-breeding techniques since 2019. In 2024, they successfully produced juvenile sunflower sea stars that survived past the larval stage, a first for the species.

The Samish Indian Nation, whose traditional territory includes the San Juan Islands, is a lead partner in the restoration effort. The tribe has provided funding, traditional ecological knowledge, and access to field sites for future outplanting.

Sunflower sea stars are a keystone predator that controls sea urchin populations. Their loss has contributed to the collapse of kelp forests across the region, affecting habitat for fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals.

The breeding program currently holds several dozen juvenile sea stars in laboratory conditions. Researchers are studying growth rates, disease resistance, and optimal conditions for eventual release into the wild.

No timeline has been set for reintroduction. Scientists say significant knowledge gaps remain about the wasting syndrome's cause, environmental triggers, and whether captive-bred animals can survive in current ocean conditions.

The partnership represents one of the first attempts to breed and restore a marine invertebrate at this scale in the Pacific Northwest. Tribal leadership in the effort reflects a growing model of Indigenous co-stewardship in species recovery.

Funding comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and tribal resources. The program's annual budget is approximately $500,000.