Abalone are easily over fished. They have slow growth, infrequent
reproductive success, vulnerability to fishery-related injuries, high
mortality of small animals, and need high densities for successful
reproduction. These factors limit the ability of abalone to withstand
a fishery. An abalone fishery could take decades to recover from collapse.
Great care will be needed to prevent the northern California red abalone
fishery from joining all the abalone fisheries which have collapsed
worldwide.
Throughout its life, an abalone contends with a variety of predators.
The Abalone eggs and larvae are eaten by filter-feeding animals. Though
juvenile abalone hide, they are active at night (nocturnal) and crabs,
lobsters, octopuses, starfish, fish and predatory snails prey on them.
Abalone in shallow water may be crushed by storm tossed rocks.
Large abalone are not threatened by the Abalone predators of their
earlier life, but larger, and often more efficient predators now become
important. Fishes, such as the cabezon, can dislodge some abalone and
swallow them whole. Even very large abalone are no match for the crushing
jaws of a bat ray. The sea otter is the most effective predator, capable
of removing all exposed abalone within reach. Only those in deep crevices
or under large rocks will survive. Abalone are one of the first food
items taken by otters as they move into new habitat.
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