After years of speculation, scientists have finally identified Vibrio pectenicida—a previously overlooked bacterium—as the cause of sea star wasting syndrome that devastated approximately 90% of sunflower sea stars across Canada, the U.S. West Coast, and Mexico between 2013 and 2018 ( Ap News).
The outbreak led to the death of over 5 billion sea stars, triggering cascading ecosystem collapse. With their natural predator gone, sea urchin populations exploded, devouring kelp forests and reducing critical habitat for fish and marine mammals.
Researchers confirmed the culprit by isolating the bacterium from sea star coelomic fluid and demonstrating its pathogenicity in controlled infection experiments—solving one of marine science’s biggest recent mysteries.
Now, with the pathogen identified, conservationists are piloting probiotic treatments, captive breeding programs, and kelp ecosystem restoration to bring these keystone species back from the brink.
The discovery doesn’t just solve a mystery—it opens the door to healing entire coastal ecosystems.