Northern Abalone

Description
The shell of this mollusc is relatively small, thin, low, and ovate-oval in shape. Near the narrow shell margin are 3-6 open holes on tubular projections. There is a broad channel on the body whorl, between the suture and the row of holes. Irregular bumps are superimposed over a spiral of broad ribs interspaced with weak ribs. The shell is mottled reddish or greenish in colour, with areas of white or blue. The interior is pearly white with faint iridescence of pink and green.

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Canadian Distribution of the Northern Abalone
(shown in red) 1,2

Distribution is approximate and not intended for legal use.

1Author: Canadian Wildlife Service, 2004
2Data Sources: The main source of information and data is the COSEWIC Status Report. In many cases additional data sources were used; a complete list will be available in the future.

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Distribution and Population
The mollusc is found along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Turtle Bay, Baja California (Mexico). Abalone were apparently fairly abundant in the early 1970s, since the sea otter - a major predator species - had been extirpated, and no significant abalone fisheries were in operation. The mollusc may have expanded its distribution to more open habitats in the absence of these sources of mortality. The abalone fishery for export began in British Columbia in 1975 and peaked in 1977-78, before a quota was set (in 1979); the fishery was closed in 1990 to conserve the declining abalone stocks. Surveys by Fisheries and Oceans Canada at indicator sites, during 1979-97, indicated a continued decline of abalone densities on the central coast of B.C. Total abalone density declined 43.75% between the 1993 and 1997 surveys.

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Habitat
At its northern range limit, the Northern Abalone occurs from the lower intertidal zone to at least 100 m depth. In British Columbia, it is mostly subtidal; adults are usually found at <10 m depth. The abalone prefer a firm substrate, usually rock, and are generally found in areas of moderate water exchange, such as occurs on exposed or semi-exposed coasts. They are patchily distributed within this habitat. Loss of sea weed (marine macroalgae) along the British Columbian coast may have increased the visibility of the molluscs to predators.

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Biology
Female Northern Abalone release their eggs into the water, where they are fertilized by the males. Fertilization is therefore maximized when abalone concentrate in abundance during spawning. It is thought that the larval period is short (<10 days), and that larval dispersal is limited in geographic extent (10-100 m). Adults likely only move over a range of a few hundred metres during their lifetimes, which in some cases may reach up to 50 years.

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Threats
There are two main limiting factors for the Northern Abalone. First, poaching of abalone continues to be a major problem. The northern abalone is vulnerable to over-exploitation because this species has a short larval period, is slow growing, relatively long-lived (and therefore matures slowly), sedentary and has low or sporadic recruitment. Mature individuals which tend to accumulate in shallow water, are easily accessible to harvesters. Samples from abalone illegally harvested during 1995-98 suggested that poachers removed mostly large mature abalone, but with no regard for the minimum legal size limit of 100mm shell length. Without size and fishing rate controls, illegal harvesting not only depletes already depressed abalone stocks, but also reduces their reproductive potential, by removal of large mature abalone, and hinders attempts to rehabilitate abalone populations through fishery closure. It has been suggested that the current illegal harvest may be comparable to the 1989 quota fishery. Enforcement is difficult, but without reductions in illegal harvest, protection of brood stock, a continued closure of the fishery, and other effective rehabilitation methods, abalone population abundance will likely remain low or more likely continue to decline in most areas of B.C.. Also, reintroduction of the sea otter to the coast of British Columbia has been successful, and the range and abundance of this predator are expanding. If the otter regains all of its historical range, this will include virtually all of the habitat presently occupied by the abalone. Abalone can coexist with sea otters, but at a relatively low density; the more cryptically coloured individuals tend to survive longest.

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Protection
The Northern Abalone is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). More information about SARA, including how it protects individual species, is available in the Species at Risk Act: A Guide.

The Northern Abalone is the only invertebrate species for which all fishing in British Columbia is totally banned, under the Fisheries Act. However, poaching continues to be a serious problem, because demand for abalone is high around the world. The effectiveness of enforcement measures may ultimately determine whether abalone stocks will have the opportunity to recover.

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Recovery Initiatives

Status of Recovery Planning

Recovery Strategy:
	Name: Species at Risk Act Proposed Recovery Strategy for Northern Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in Canada Status: Approval stage Number of Action Plans: 2

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Recovery Team

Northern Abalone Recovery Team

Laurie Convey - Chair - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Alan Campbell - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ted Down - Member - Government of BC
Carole Eros - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Kelly Francis - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Rick Harbo - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Bill Heath - Member - Government of BC
Heather Holmes - Member - Parks Canada
Bryan Jubinville - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Diane Lake - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Joanne Lessard - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Guy Parker - Member - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

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Recovery Progress and Activities

The Recovery Strategy is drafted and will be available for public comment before being finalized and published. The Action Plan is available in draft.

Strategy Goal: to halt the decline of Northern Abalone populations in British Columbia and to increase the number and densities of wild Northern Abalone to self-sustainable levels in order to improve the species’ status and reduce the risk of extinction.

Long-term Objectives:

- reduce illegal harvesting of Northern Abalone through market investigations and the development of a species and stock identification database;
- test a variety of population rebuilding techniques, to be monitored through annual stock assessments.

Short-term Objectives: To ensure that densities of adult Northern Abalone at key index sites do not decline further and to establish baseline surveys in southern BC.

Summary of Research/Monitoring Activities:

- 2001: initiated a project to test strategies for rebuilding abalone populations and to monitor recruitment and recovery.
- 2003: completed genetics studies to distinguish the Northern Abalone from other abalone species in the [illegal] marketplace; testing methods and factors that improve abalone reproduction and recruitment; studying ocean currents and larval drift to identify areas that possess the greatest potential of acting as seed areas in the abalone rebuilding plan; held the Abalone Rebuilding Techniques Workshop to refine the Northern Abalone rebuilding plan in BC with the advice and experience provided to BC’s recovery groups from international experts in abalone rebuilding; testing population assessment methodologies; the population rebuilding studies have provided an avenue to study Northern Abalone diseases

Summary of Recovery Activities:

- 2001: established permanently marked sites for the abalone; promoted and encouraged conservation of the species among members of the local community and marine-related industries; developed a local "Coast Watch Program" to monitor local abalone populations and report illegal activities; and initiated a project to establish two major stewardship areas within Haida Gwaii.
- 2003: continued four outreach and community-driven programs were funded through the Habitat Stewardship Program; stewardship groups have promoted and encouraged conservation of Northern Abalone in local communities and marine-related industries and established two major stewardship areas within Haida Gwaii; stewardship groups established permanently marked sites for the Northern Abalone and aggregated mature individuals within these sites to improve reproductive success; stewardship groups developed local “Coast Watch” Programs for reporting illegal harvesting of the Northern Abalone; pilot hatcheries that were established in two coastal communities have hatchery-raised Northern Abalone juveniles to be released in the coming year.
- ongoing: establishing pilot hatcheries in coastal communities to produce abalone juveniles for out-planting.

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