Marine Life

Abalone
(Haliotis)
Courtesy of Tom Haight

Once abundant in California, the abalone has fallen on hard times. Due to overfishing, pollution, predation, disease and poaching, the stocks of all species are down. Especially hard hit are the black, pink and green. The reds seem to be holding their own in Northern California but with the closure of all areas south of San Francisco, the red abalone stocks could be in danger. The abalone is a herbivore, dining on drift algae. The holes along the margin allow the animal to excrete water that has passed over the gills and for the elimination of waste products and reproductive material. Lacking any clotting agent in their blood, the abalone will often bleed to death if cut. Different species grow to different lengths, with the black being the smallest and the red being the largest. Abalone prefer to move around at night.