Abalone Biology, Fisheries and Culture

Boat-based foraging and discontinuous prehistoric red abalone exploitation along the California coast

by Adrian Whitaker

Co-authored with Brian Byrd. Please email me if you would like the pdf of the article.

Temporally and spatially discontinuous pulses of heavy prehistoric exploitation of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens)... more Temporally and spatially discontinuous pulses of heavy prehistoric exploitation of red abalone (Haliotis rufescens) have been documented along the southern and central California coast. This article examines the very late (post-950 cal BP) appearance of numerous red abalone processing sites on the Monterey Peninsula in central California. We test three prominent explanations offered for the sudden onset of red abalone processing sites: trophic cascades resulting from human predation on sea otters, logistical foraging by inland residents, and changes in sea surface temperature. A trophic cascade appears to have occurred but does not fully explain the nature or timing of the phenomenon in the region.

We present an alternative explanation that argues that intensive procurement of red abalone emerged at a time when both population pressure and social complexity increased greatly in central California. We argue that a new exploitation strategy—diving from boats—was employed to exploit a much larger portion of the red abalone habitat. This strategy entailed logistical forays by divers who worked new patches in tandem with boaters, gathered large quantities in a single foray, and then field processed them in bulk on the shore before transporting the meat to coastal residences. This strategy provided an additional source of food, and both tradable dried meat and numerous large shells that could be manufactured into ornaments and traded as decorative accoutrements. We conclude our discussion with a consideration of the factors that created such a discontinuous record of red abalone exploitation along the California coast.

Molecular markers used to analyze species-specific status in abalones with ambiguous morphology

by Sergio Marchant

Abalone price determination in Japanese import and wholesale markets

by Murray Rudd

Rudd MA (1994). Abalone price determination in Japanese import and wholesale markets. Second International Abalone Symposium, Hobart, Tasmania, Feb 94.

A review of international abalone trade patterns and pricing

by Murray Rudd

Rudd MA (1994). A review of international abalone trade patterns and pricing. Second International Abalone Symposium, Hobart Tasmania, Feb 94.

Efecto de la adición de tres pigmentos carotenoides comerciales (astaxantina, cantaxantina y β-caroteno) en la dieta sobre la coloración de la concha o nácar de …

by Erendira Canales-Gomez

Abalone stock enhancement: a review of rationale and techniques

by Murray Rudd

Rudd, M. A. 1995. Abalone stock enhancement: a review of rationale and techniques. Bulletin of the Aquaculture Association of Canada 95:13-16.

Market demand for abalone has soared over the past decade in Asia and, as a result, wild abalone stocks worldwide have... more Market demand for abalone has soared over the past decade in Asia and, as a result, wild abalone stocks worldwide have come under increasingly heavy fishing pressure. Landings in several regions have declined to as low as 10% of peak landing levels. In British Columbia, where there had been commercial, sport and native food fisheries, a ban on all types of harvesting was imposed in 1990 due to government concerns over declining stock levels. This ban, which remains in effect, has prompted increased interest in abalone enhancement in British Columbia. There are several potential enhancement methods available for use on abalone, each of which addresses different factors that can limit production. Available techniques include: transplants of adult and/or juvenile abalone from populated to unpopulated areas; habitat modification or addition of artificial shelters in regions with limited rearing space; and restocking of larval and/or juvenile abalone in regions with insufficient natural recruitment. Severe stock depletion in British Columbia makes active restocking programs the only real option for enhancement of local abalone stocks. Abalone restocking programs can utilize either larvae or juveniles. This paper briefly reviews some of the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy given the unique biological aspects of abalone. In either case, development of an effective enhancement program would be a long-term effort requiring substantial work on a site-by-site basis.