What is an Abalone Stock: Implications for the Role of Refugia in Conservation

Abstract

This paper concerns the conservation of abalone stocks in a genetic and fisheries sense. We review genetic and ecological information relating to the differentiation of abalone stocks in South Australia and propose that metapopulation theory provides an apt framework in which to develop the concept of an abalone stock. We consider what is a minimum viable population for abalone and illustrate our discussion with a case study of an abalone population that declined through a combination of fishing, recruitment failure, and inadequate protection by a refugium. Refugia can play an important role in abalone conservation by maintaining egg production and genetic diversity and by preserving populations for scientific study.

Movement and home range of pink abalone Haliotis corrugata: implications for restoration and population recovery

“…This density (0.2 m −2 ) is based on studies of recruitment failure in south Australian abalone (Shepherd & Brown 1993) and the densities of red abalone in southern California before population declines (Tegner et al 1989, Karpov et al 1998. Thus, the MVP is not specific to pink aba lone and species-specific refinements are needed.…”

Enhancement of red abalone Haliotis rufescens stocks at San Miguel Island: reassessing a success story

“…Because of their high market value and depressed natural populations (e.g., Shepherd & Brown 1993, Haaker 1994, abalone outplanting has attracted considerable interest in various parts of the world. The California Department of Fish and Game and the California Sea Grant Program have conducted a variety of seeding experiments with hatchery-reared juvenile abalone in California (reviewed by Tegner & Butler 1989, Tegner 2000.…”

Genetic diversity of wild and domesticated stocks of Thai abalone, Haliotis asinina (Haliotidae), analyzed by single-strand conformational polymorphism of AFLP-derived markers

“…Molecular markers for identification of geographic origin of abalone populations found in this study can be utilized for identification of seed stocks and distribution and recruitment of abalone larvae, leading to increased efficiency in fishery management of local H. asinina stocks in Thailand (Klinbunga et al, 2003). Shephred and Brown (1993) predicted that microgeographic population differentiation within each abalone species probably occurred due to its short planktonic larval stages and limited dispersal ability. Accordingly, intraspecific genetic differentiation of abalone may be found within the scale of a few kilometers.…”