White Abalone Captive Breeding Lab

White abalone with white spots all over its shell, surrounded by a release of eggs during spawning

Springtime White Abalone Spawning at Bodega Marine Lab

  • by Jessica Ramos
  • May 21, 2021
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.

Gary Cherr

Gary Cherr, Ph.D.

  • Professor Emeritus
  • Bodega Marine Laboratory Director
  • 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
Shelby Kawana

Shelby Kawana

  • Assistant Boating and Diving Safety Officer and White Abalone Captive Breeding Technician
  • Bodega Marine Laboratory
Bodega Marine Laboratory
University of California Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory, PO Box 247, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay CA 94923
abalone

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White Abalone Conservation

White abalone were the first marine invertebrate listed as endangered in the United States. Scientists are working to restore the species.

Learn more about the white abalone recovery program here.

whiteabalone@ucdavis.edu
Bodega Marine Laboratory
P.O. Box 247 (USPS)
2099 Westshore Road (UPS/Fedex)
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

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