Pinto Abalone Restoration
Project Year: 2014 - Present
Background: Pinto 'Northern' abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) is the only known indigenous abalone species in Washington State. Pinto abalone populations continued to significantly decline, despite closing the recreational fishery in 1994. They were listed as a State endangered species in 2019.
Abalone are broadcast spawners, meaning they release sperm and eggs into the water column, so there must be other abalone in close proximity for successful fertilization. However, pinto abalone densities are currently too far below the threshold to facilitate the reproduction necessary for the population to recover on its own.
Project Description: Pinto abalone restoration in Washington State has been part of a collaborative effort led by the Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) since 2003. Skagit MRC has been partnering with PSRF since 2014. Restoration strategies include conservation aquaculture and captive breeding, juvenile and larval outplanting, aggregation and other strategies.
Since 2009, nearly 45,000 healthy, genetically diverse hatchery produced juvenile pinto abalone have been outplanted to 28 different restoration sites in Skagit, San Juan, and Island counties. 18,000 of these hatchery produced abalone have been outplanted to eight rocky reef sites in Skagit County waters.
Diver surveys are conducted each year to measure growth, signs of natural recruitment, density, and survivorship of the pinto abalone outplants. Preliminary monitoring results indicate the abalone are growing larger in size and density with their numbers increasing and spreading beyond the four original plots near Fidalgo Island.
In addition to hatchery work, outplanting, and diver surveys, water quality loggers are used to help track temperature, PH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. Time laps cameras have also been installed at some of the outplant sites to study abalone movement and predation.
View the PSRF Recovery Plan for Pinto Abalone in Washington State. Learn more at www.pintoabalone.com.