White Abalone Captive Breeding Lab

A memorable summer with abalones

Daily Alvarez is a 21 year old biology student at the SRJC, intending to transfer to UC Davis and eventually pursue a career in the veterinary field. She is a person passionate about animals, and enjoys spending time out in nature and swimming. 

Nora Frank

  • Husbandry and Data Manager
  • White Abalone Captive Breeding Program
Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of California Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory, PO Box 247, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay CA 94923

Springtime White Abalone Spawning at Bodega Marine Lab

A Brief History of White Abalone

Once abundant, white abalone were critically overfished in the 1970s. With the remaining wild white abalone so far apart from one another that they were unable to reproduce successfully, experts determined that captive breeding and outplanting were the best ways to save the species. After early breeding efforts were hampered by disease, the program headquarters moved to UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory in 2011.

Alyssa Frederick, Ph.D.

  • Director, White Abalone Captive Breeding Program
  • Bodega Marine Laboratory
  • Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute
Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of California Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory, PO Box 247, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay CA 94923

Gary Cherr, Ph.D.

  • Professor Emeritus
  • Bodega Marine Laboratory
  • College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
  • Department of Environmental Toxicology
Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of California Davis, Bodega Marine Laboratory, PO Box 247, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay CA 94923