Abalone - Pacific Region

Protect Abalone. The entire coast of British Columbia is CLOSED to the harvest of abalone due to serious conservation concerns. Help stop the illegal harvest and sale of abalone - report violations to 1-800-465-4336.

The northern or pinto abalone has been declining in numbers and distribution in surveyed areas of coastal British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, as documented by regular surveys since the late 1970s. The northern abalone fisheries in B.C. were closed to all harvest in 1990 to protect the remaining population. Despite the complete ban on harvest, the population continued to decline and showed no sign of recovery. As a result, northern abalone were assigned a threatened status by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) in April 1999. In June 2003, northern abalone were legally listed and protected as threatened under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Illegal harvest and low recruitment are the most significant threats to the northern abalone, affecting both the recovery capacity and the reproductive abilities of the species.

Highlights

• Northern Abalone SARA Consultations - Pacific Region
• Species at Risk
• Recovery Strategy for Northern Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in Canada (2007)
• Abalone Recovery, an update on the recovery of abalone in British Columbia September 2004 [HTML] [PDF]
• Abalone Recovery, an update on the recovery of abalone in British Columbia July 2003 [HTML] [PDF]
• National Recovery Strategy for the Northern Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in British Columbia [Word] [PDF]
• Draft National Recovery Action Plan for Northern Abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in British Columbia [Word] [PDF]
• Abalone Conservation Links
• Species Biology

Media & Publications

• News Releases
• Abalone Video Clips
• Publications and Additional Reading on Abalone
• National Conservation Poster (PDF)

Contacts

If you have any concerns regarding Abalone, or would like further information, please contact:
Laurie Convey
Management Biologist
3225 Stephenson Point Road
Nanaimo, BC V9T 1K3
250-756-7233