Precipitous declines in pinto abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana kamtschatkana) abundance in the San Juan Archipelago, Washington, USA, despite statewide fishery closure

Abstract

Pinto abalone ( Haliotis kamtschatkana kamtschatkana ) index stations in the San Juan Archipelago were systematically monitored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife from 1992 through 2006. During this period, abalone abundance declined by 77% and the mean shell length (SL) increased 10.4 mm. Abalone densities at all index stations are currently well below the threshold of 0.15 abalone·m–2 required for successful fertilization. From 1992 to 1996, 16% of individuals encountered measured <90 mm SL, while only 6% of the individuals from 2003 to 2006 were in this small size class. Similarly, the number of those >114 mm SL was greater in the 2000s than in the 1990s. The mean SL of all live abalone observed in the 1990s (107.62 ± 0.87 mm) was significantly different from the mean SL of empty shells (114.21 ± 2.1 mm), but no difference was detected between the mean SLs of empty shells and live abalone in the 2000s (114.97 ± 1.42 mm). Taken together, these data suggest recruitment failure from an Allee response to low population densities.