Shellfish of abalone

Abalone is a shellfish or mollusk, Haliotus spledens, H. rufescens, H. cracherodii, also sometimes called ormer, or sea ear.

The abalone has two features that recommend it to humankind. One is that suitably, tenderized and seasoned, the meat of the abalone is very good eating.

Second, the ‘mother of pearl’ inside surface of shell of the abalone is used in jewelry.

People in many parts of the world harvest abalones. The largest species, the red abalone, is collected along the coast of California, while in southern Australia divers pursue the smaller Roe’s abalone.

Abalones are to be found in many parts of the world, including the coastal zones of the Mediterranean, region, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific islands and western North and South America.

Today, China and Taiwan raise more 90% of the world’s farmed abalones in saltwater pens or suspended cages.

It takes three to four years for an abalone to reach market size of four to six while abalone per pound (nine to thirteen per kg).

In the USA there is a traditional market for abalone, which is mainly in California, where there was a flourishing fishery until the early 1970s.

The traditional US market now consists primarily of expensive, white tablecloth restaurants in California.
Shellfish of abalone