Video Footage of abalone taken from a SCUBA dive at one of the State Parks near Fort Bragg, CA. Taken at about 30 feet deep, the video also includes footage of an albino abalone.
I've been diving the California coast for 16+ years. Never thought I would ever get to sea a white abalone. This gives me hope that I may see one in the wild some day. It's like seeing a unicorn.
I went Scuba diving at Mackerricher state park in Fort Bragg, November 9, 2018. About thirty feet off shore we counted over a hundred abalone in a small area about nine feet deep. About thirty feet further out we encountered thousands of purple urchins. the rocks were covered with them. It was as if they were pushing the Abalone towards the shore. Sad to see.
Have you been back since you filmed this? All the Abalone look healthy yet there is a lack of any algae for them to eat. Moonscape bottom. No Purples and only a small pocket of Red Urchins. I wonder what it looks like there now.
This is not an albino abalone. It is a white abalone, indigenous to California and Mexico. Considered an endangered species. Been diving 35 years and have never personally observed one. Someone should show this footage to the CA biologists, both for the white abalone, and the fact that their abalone population survey methods should be redesigned to use experienced abalone divers (not grad students), and realistic survey methods that actually count the abalone where they live--in cracks, under rocks and hidden in kelp.
This was the amount of abalone on the rocks off Cape Town when i was young then the Chinese came and offered big bucks per kg and slowly but the stocks dwindled over the years to the hand of poachers. Hopefully it will get back to its old way where anyone could go out and get a cuota to take home for a delicious meal.
While this particular spot is definitely more abundant than most deeper locations along the north coast . I don’t think this is all that unusual . I seen spots while on SCUBA similar to this over the years , usually past the 50’ depth on solid rocky outcrops and ledges . 1977 to 2010
There is a spot on the south side of Mendo Bay that I saw a acre of abs much thicker in numbers than this. They were stacked 2 deep as far as I could see and I saw other spots also thick in abs but that spot in Mendo Bay was the best.
Nice vid Blake! I agree w/ Eric's comment on survey methods! This is probably at one of the State Parks that are monitored by these biologists........bet they didn't see these healthy stocks!
I'm pretty sure you would be surprised how competent most of the surveyors are, and I'm sure that the surveys are as thorough as they need to be to get a good idea of the general population trends. The same areas have been surveyed for decades now.
If you love abalone (seafood), you have to listen to YoungTak’s new released song “Wanna go get some abalone”. This is a must song for abalone (seafood) lovers! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KbGSso-kIgU.html
Different countries/states have different laws…. I haven’t read the description so don’t know where this is, but lots of places allow, some allow only Hawaiian slings with scuba, some only allow snorkel…. EDIT: Okay, looked, it’s California, I checked the website and for this season spearfishing is defined as “the taking of fish by spear or hand by persons who are in the water and may be using underwater goggles, face plates, breathing tubes, SCUBA, or other artificial underwater breathing device.” As found in 1.76 on the nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=190413&inline
They seem to be doing quite well there. Only time I have seen footage of that many abalone was at a breeding facility. Of course I am not an expert on abalone lol just looked like a good amount of them :) Cool vid. Thanks!
avaorchid In Japan abalone per one was $8 per one at retail price. Abalone fishery is usually prohibited and also it is difficult to find out a good fishing point. It is like gold mine.
There are a few reasons for that, but one is the lack of kelp, whether its another type taking over or something killing the kelp, urchin takeover too. When I was diving these places looked like forests! kelp everywhere! n the summer it was a bear getting thru it, now well you can see. Sadd, they eat that stuff!
I don't think white abalone gets that big, red abalone are the largest of all and those in the videos are probably 9" and above. white abs can't grow to that size
