Research Document - 2007/061

Recovery Potential Assessment for the northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) in Canada

By Lessard, J., A. Campbell, Z. Zhang, L. MacDougall and S. Hankewich

Abstract

This recovery potential assessment for the SARA-listed northern abalone includes a review of current status, population projections, and recommendations on permitting human-induced mortality and/or harm to abalone and their habitat. Recent surveys indicated northern abalone abundance was not recovering. Time series analyses of abalone survey data from areas free of sea otters in southeast Queen Charlotte Islands and Central Coast during 1978-2002 provided stock-recruitment relationships, recruitment trends and mortality estimates of > 0.20. Simulations indicated that abalone populations could continue to decline if mortality rates remain > 0.20. Mortality rates of < 0.20 are required for abalone populations to recover.

Several human activities were considered that could potentially harm and cause direct mortality to abalone populations. In order of importance, these activities were: 1) directed fishing; 2) habitat alterations, including finfish aquaculture, log booms and log dumps, and dredging; 3) abalone aquaculture; 4) fisheries on food supplies (i.e. kelp harvest); 5) scientific research; and 6) rebuilding activities, including larvae or juveniles outplanting and adult aggregations. Collectively, harmful activities that can be permitted under SARA cause little mortality relative to poaching or sea otter predation. No allowable direct mortality is recommended.

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