Why is Abolone harvesting closed?

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chvyhs:
Can anyone tell me why Abolone harvesting is closed in So. California?
The numbers of abs have declined so much that they can't sustain themselves. Octopii don't measure them, nor do other predators. Now throw in man, and they just got decimated.
 
Not so much overfishing, although that did have an impact, as "whitering abalone disease" a bacterial infection that has reduced some populations by 99%.

Here is an article:

http://www-csgc.ucsd.edu/STORIES/AbWhither.html

Hopefully a treatment will be developed and we can re-establish the population by seeding.
 
Years ago you could take abs by scuba south of the golden gate while north only breath hold diving was permitted. That resulted in over fishing in so. cal. then later down the road the withering bacteria further decimated the ab population. There have been atempts at seeding, but the population is not really recoving. In Nor. Cal. the ab population seems quite healthy, it is pretty easy to get your limit 3 a day.
 
As DpBishop has pointed out, it was more than just over fishing. Certainly there was a substantial commercial take with an ever increasing sport take as well. This affected the most tasty of the species, at least above rec depth limits. Others, like the tough black ab, were affected by withering syndrome and nearly wiped out (haven't seen one here in years).

When I first came here in the late 60's, I had no problem taking my limit any time I wanted (within season). I could even watch a number of them grow until they reached legal or even larger size.

The Calif. Fish & Game Commission has approved (against the wishes of the DF&G's staff) the reopening of commercial ab harvest off San Miguel Island. My gut tells me to fight this, but a recent talk with a former commercial ab fisher (and ardent conservationist) suggests this may not be as bad as I see it. I have to weigh his words since I respect his opinion on these issues.
 
Taking abs is also severly limited here in Melbourne, Aus. When I started diving in the late eighties, right up to only very recently, the catch limit was 10 per diver, with a max of 2 greenlips.

Now there are certain regions where taking abs is closed all year round, and others where it is limited to a 60 day period each year as dictated by the fisheries department. I am not aware of any disease affecting them here, so I assume it is mainly due to over-harvesting.

Again, my knowledge/memory may be dated, but I also seem to recall that back in the eighties, any new commercial abalone license could only be issued upon buying out two existing ones.
 
froop:
Taking abs is also severly limited here in Melbourne, Aus. When I started diving in the late eighties, right up to only very recently, the catch limit was 10 per diver, with a max of 2 greenlips.

Now there are certain regions where taking abs is closed all year round, and others where it is limited to a 60 day period each year as dictated by the fisheries department. I am not aware of any disease affecting them here, so I assume it is mainly due to over-harvesting.

Again, my knowledge/memory may be dated, but I also seem to recall that back in the eighties, any new commercial abalone license could only be issued upon buying out two existing ones.

Hopefully the Fisheries Dept. is a little smarter than the California Dept of Fish & Game... they actually took some of the infected abalone and replanted them up north where the disease had not been previously. From what I heard the colder water kept the disease from spreading, but man what a bunch of idiots!! Reminds me of the Mediteranian Fruit Fly here in Norcal back in the early 80's where they decided to release sterile fruit flies out into the wild so they would prevent the spread of the pests... then they realized the thousands of flies they released weren't actually sterile!!!! WHOOOPS
 
BrianM:
Reminds me of the Mediteranian Fruit Fly here in Norcal back in the early 80's where they decided to release sterile fruit flies out into the wild so they would prevent the spread of the pests... then they realized the thousands of flies they released weren't actually sterile!!!! WHOOOPS

They told my Dad he was sterile but we still got my little sister! Love her to death of course.
 
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