Abalone

[Abalone]

When I was a kid in the late 50's living in San Diego CA. The big kids used to go to La Jolla with their home made wet suits (Skin Divers they were) and irons and pry Abalones up. I never made it out with them but they would sometimes bring my family a Abalone.I left the West Coast over 30 years ago and understand today that Abalone is a protected species.( I can remember neon signs in restraunts all over the coast "Abalone") Is there any sport abalone diving on the west coast left? I have not had this dish in 40 years now but[pounded tenderized sauted Abalone in butter is something you will remember for life.

 

[kelpmermaid]

But this brings to mind something that I should probably post in the SoCal area. On Saturday, June 26, from 1-4:30-5pmish at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, the Catalina Conservancy Divers and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium are hosting a free seminar on the subject of Abalone. The featured speaker is Dr. Pete Haaker of the CA Dept. of Fish and Game, who is in charge of abalone management and restoration. He will address the different types of abalone, their biology, give a brief history of abalone populations, and their decline in the 80's and 90's. If you need any additional info, send me a PM or check the www.ccd.org website.

 

[gbrandon]

From around San Francisco to the north they still have a abalone season. Its all freediving, no scuba, and the limit is 3 per day, with a max of 26 per season. They have to be 7" or bigger to keep. The season is closed right now for the month of July, but opens up again August 1st. I usually dive for them off the mendocino coast. Hope this helps..

 

[Abalone]

I dont know what the population of Ca. was in the late 50,s when Ca. was overtaking New York as the most populated state. I know Ca. pop. is about 30 million today. I can understand why this sea creature (abalone) is protected today and has been.

 

[drbill]

Although commercial and sport take of abalone brought their numbers down considerably, I could still watch green abs grow on a rock for 1-2 years before I decided to harvest them. Black abs were abundant in the inter- and sub-tidal waters of Catalina. I used to find baby abs under rocks all over at low tide.

Today I may see 1-4 abs while diving in the Casino Dive Park. Last weekend there was a green that was right out in the open but fairly well camouflaged. I didn't move it since I had nothing to carefully pry it off and didn't want to injure it.

On top of the harvesting, ab stocks were decimated by a disease and a parasite both introduced from elsewhere. Now stocks are considered too sparse for successful reproduction in most areas although on occasion I see a young one (1-3 years) under rocks in the Dive Park. Maybe there's hope.

Dr. Bill

 

[gbrandon]

drbill once bubbled...
Although commercial and sport take of abalone brought their numbers down considerably, I could still watch green abs grow on a rock for 1-2 years before I decided to harvest them. Black abs were abundant in the inter- and sub-tidal waters of Catalina. I used to find baby abs under rocks all over at low tide.

Today I may see 1-4 abs while diving in the Casino Dive Park. Last weekend there was a green that was right out in the open but fairly well camouflaged. I didn't move it since I had nothing to carefully pry it off and didn't want to injure it.

On top of the harvesting, ab stocks were decimated by a disease and a parasite both introduced from elsewhere. Now stocks are considered too sparse for successful reproduction in most areas although on occasion I see a young one (1-3 years) under rocks in the Dive Park. Maybe there's hope.

Dr. Bill

Well Dr. Bill, come up to northern california some time and you will be grinning ear to ear with all the abs you will see. Last weekend I spotted so many of them I couldnt stop laughing. Of course, I was on scuba, which makes them illegal to take, but you should have seen the size & quantity of them. Hundreds, if not thousands. If I didnt know any better, I would have thought there was no endangerment, but Ive seen videos of the southern california waters and its a sad sight.

 

[Gill]

Last December I visited the Point Lobos State Reserve. It used to be the site of the abalone cannery industry back in the days. I didn't realize that the abalone was such a popular dish back in the early 1900s. The little museum was quite an eye opening experience.

http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/culhist/history.htm

And you can dive there.