Nov 11, 2024
Abalone Shell (Haliotis sp.) found at Moss Cove in Laguna Beach. We did not collect this (or anything we found) but this was a beautiful surprise (and my first time finding an abalone shell in the tide pools). This beach is considered a no-take Marine Protected Area; where taking, collecting, and disturbing marine life is prohibited (includes shells/rocks).
White abalone and black abalone are listed as federally endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Marine heatwaves and ocean acidification affect both the development of abalone (preventing the formation of their calcium carbonate shells) and kill the seaweed they need to eat to develop and live in. Withering Abalone Syndrome, a bacterial disease, also threatens abalone populations.