Hunting abalone

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Akimbo

Just a diver
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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This discussion about hunting abalone has been split off from an Accidents and Incidents thread. It was off topic but may be of interest to hunters. Marg, SB Senior Moderator


....Are abalone that good?????............

Abalone has a fairly unique flavor, not strong at all. I can’t think of anything that is similar. I would say that “most” people like it a lot and a few are so-so about it. East Asians seem to consider it as a delicacy. A lot of people describe it as “rich”, but that may be due to preparation rather than the meat itself. It is illegal to sell wild California Abs but farm raised sells for $30-40/Lb, live and in the shell.
 
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I used to be nuts over abalone when I first started, but always knew my limitations.
Now I'm good for about three pieces a year. It's the challenge to find the big ones that's fun.
It's also more environmental since it gives the smaller ones many more cycles to spawn.
I think I pulled 6 abs last year out of the 18 allowed.
Being a local I always am flabbergasted when I hear of people doing anything to get them. They're OK, but not THAT good.
 
… "With prices on the open market often reaching $125 a pound, the pull to the Sonoma and Mendocino county coastlines at the start of the season in April is strong."

News sources are commonly wrong, of course.

I imagine that is correct for wild abalone sold illegally on the black market. The game wardens arrest a lot of poachers with gunny sacks full of both legal and illegal-size abs every year.

I understand that farm-raised aren’t as good. The “Red” abs up here are especially prized. I’m not sure what species are farm-raised.
 
I understand that farm-raised aren’t as good. The “Red” abs up here are especially prized. I’m not sure what species are farm-raised.

The guy raising them under the pier in Monteray is raising Reds. Goes out in a small boat in the morning to harvest kelp for them to eat. Interesting way to make a living.


Bob
 
Under the pier? Art and Trevor, and a growing team. A hometown success story!

The SF Gate in 2011: Abalone adventures along the Monterey coast
The SF Gate last spring: Tasty abalone carefully farmed under Monterey's wharf - Two men team up to farm the mollusks in just the right conditions under the pier

From time to time, the Gate has above average photography. These galleries are pretty cool.

There is another operation up the coast in Davenport I have always wanted to visit. They keep their abs up on the cliff, in trays.

Art and Trevor keep the herds down in the harbor. Check out the pics.
 
First, my condolences to the family and friends of these individuals.

It has been 40 years since I've taken and eaten a wild abalone. Back in those days I could walk outside my marine biology lab on Catalina and take one or two (greens mostly) right off the rocks at low tide. Even with my very limited culinary skills they were tasty. I would never consider free diving for them up north though... much too cold for this warm water wussie (say anything above 50 F).
 
condolences to the friends and family.

Anyone know why the collection of Abalone is freedive only?
I have some ideas why it has been this way and some ideas why it is and isn't a good idea now. But don't know the facts regarding the decision used to make the regulations.
Anyone?
 
… Anyone know why the collection of Abalone is freedive only?...

Abalone harvesting has required freediving north of Yankee Point, which is south of Carmel, since at least the early 1960s. South of there you could collect Abs with breathing gear as well as get a commercial fishing license.

Today, collecting Abalone is limited to north of the center of the Golden Gate Bridge (Marine County line) and north to the Oregon Border. The stated objective is and was to limit the take to preserve the fishery. Now if we could just get the Sea Otters to obey that law.
 
....The stated objective is and was to limit the take to preserve the fishery. Now if we could just get the Sea Otters to obey that law.

There is a limit of, something like, 24 per person per year, so that can't be valid anymore. Right?
 

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