Kelco Aerial Photograph Collection
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2014
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Languages:
English
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Kelco Aerial Photograph Collection
Creator:
Kelco (Firm)
Identifier/Call Number: SMC 0129
Physical Description:
4.5 Linear feet
(8 archives boxes, 1 flat box)
Date (inclusive): circa 1931-1992
Abstract: The collection consists of black and white, color, and infrared aerial photography of kelp beds and coastline from Baja California
to Point Conception.
Digital Content
All images in Series 3) SCANNED IMAGES are exclusively available digitally. Due to copyright constraints, digital content
is restricted to UC San Diego IP addresses (including UCSD-PROTECTED network for wireless, and VPN or Proxy for off-campus
access).
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Acquisition Note
Acquired 2011.
Preferred Citation
Kelco Aerial Photograph Collection. SMC 129. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
OFF SITE STORAGE
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.
Historical Note
The Kelco Company (est. 1929, San Diego) was the world's largest commercial producer of algin, a derivative of alginic acid
used as a stabilizing, suspending and gelling agent in a variety of food and industrial applications. Kelco's fleet harvested
giant kelp (
Macrocystis pyrifera) and rockweed (
Ascophyllum nodosum) from the waters off Baja and Southern and Central California to procure alginic acid. To facilitate its harvesting operations,
the company conducted aerial surveys of kelp beds regulated by the California Department of Fish and Game. This visual survey
information was used to direct vessels to mature areas of kelp canopy that had sufficient density for harvesting.
Kelco Company was purchased by Monsanto in 1995 and became part of their Kelco Alginates division. Kelco Alginates merged
with International Specialty Products in 1999 and the new company was named ISP Alginates. The business shut down its San
Diego operations in 2005 citing increased permit, regulation, and energy costs.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection consists of black and white, color, and infrared aerial photography of kelp beds and coastline from Baja California
to Point Conception. The order and numbering systems utilized in the original survey project binders were preserved where
possible within folders.
Arranged in three series: 1) SLIDES, 2) PHOTOGRAPHS, and 3) SCANNED IMAGES.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Giant kelp -- Aerial photographs
Kelps -- Aerial photographs
Kelco (Firm) -- Archives
SLIDES
Scope and Content of Series
Series 1) SLIDES: Color images in slide mounts arranged by the general geographic areas of surveys taken between 1973-1992
in Central California and Baja California.
Aerial Surveys of Central California
Box 1, Folder 5
Central California
1982 August 29
Box 2, Folder 1-2
Central California
1982 August 29
Pigeon Point to Pismo Beach
Box 5, Folder 1-6
1986 September 10, 15, 28
Aerial Surveys of Baja California
Box 6, Folder 6-8
Tijuana to Punta San Carlos
1985 July 15
Box 7, Folder 1-2
Tijuana to Sacramento Reef
1984 June-August
Box 7, Folder 3
Isla Todos Santos, Punta Banda, San Quentin
1981 September 9
PHOTOGRAPHS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 2) PHOTOGRAPHS: Contains black and white, primarily 8x10 inch photographic prints arranged by the general geographic
areas of the surveys taken between 1946-1949 in Central California and Baja California.
Aerial surveys of Central California
Box 8, Folder 1
Carpinteria to Point Conception
1960
General
Photos numbered 45-81 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 2
San Clemente, San Nicolas, and Santa Rosa Islands
1956-1957
General
Photos numbered 82-117, 125-128, 131-134 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 3
Point Conception
1957
General
Photos numbered 118-119, 122-124 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 4
La Jolla, Dana Point, San Mateo
1957
General
Photos numbered 120-121, 129-130 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 5
Santa Barbara to Point Loma
1954
General
Photos numbered 169-206 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 6
Los Angeles County
1950-1955
General
Photos numbered 305-332 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 7
Santa Barbara County
1955
General
Photos numbered 136-168 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 8
Point Loma to Point Arguello
1962 August 8
General
Photos numbered 333-402 on verso.
Box 8, Folder 9-11
Channel Islands
1955, 1958
Oversize FB-477, Folder 4
Oversize FB-477, Folder 5
Oversize FB-477, Folder 6
Aerial surveys of Baja California
Box 6, Folder 5
Aer-Mex, North Channel Island
1988-1989
Box 7, Folder 6
Coronado Islands
1955 May 17
Box 7, Folder 12
Punta Salsipuedes
1950, 1958
Box 7, Folder 13
Punta San Isidro
1950-1951
Box 7, Folder 14
Punta San Jacinto
1950-1951
Box 7, Folder 17
Punta Santo Tomas
1950-1958
Box 7, Folder 20
Miscellaneous
1955
General
Photos are 3 x 5 inch black and white prints layered and glued to a piece of paper.
SCANNED IMAGES
Scope and Content of Series
Series 3) SCANNED IMAGES: This series consists of unique digital images scanned from analog slides. These images exist only
in digital format and are not scans of materials from Series 1 and 2.
Due to copyright constraints, this digital content is restricted to UC San Diego IP addresses (including UCSD-PROTECTED network
for wireless, and VPN or Proxy for off-campus access). UC San Diego users may view digital content by clicking on the Digital
Collections link at the top of the finding aid under "Digital Content."