Pacific Abalone

Haliotis discus hannai

Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, is a cold-water marine snail also known in aquaculture as Japanese or ezo abalone. It has an ear-shaped shell with a row of respiratory holes, a nacreous interior, and a broad muscular foot used to cling tightly to rock. The species grazes on algae and is valued for seafood, shell, and hatchery production, especially in parts of East Asia and other regions with suitable marine farming systems.

Human management usually means regulated harvest, aquaculture, or restoration. Hatcheries rear larvae onto settlement plates, then grow juveniles on algae or prepared feeds in tanks, baskets, or sea-based systems. Water quality, temperature, stocking density, shell damage, and disease biosecurity are constant concerns because growth is slow and losses can be expensive. Wild harvest is often tightly controlled, and restoration programs may track broodstock origin, seeding sites, and survival after release.