Haliotis corrugata
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haliotis_corrugata
Overview
The pink abalone, scientific name Haliotis corrugata, is a species of large edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.
The Pink Abalone faces severe population collapse due to decades of overharvesting, with commercial and recreational fishing reducing populations by over 99% since the 1950s. Ocean warming and acidification associated with climate change further stress remaining populations by reducing food availability and weakening shell development. Disease outbreaks, particularly withering syndrome caused by bacterial infections, have devastated local populations throughout their range.
Habitat
Pink Abalone inhabit rocky subtidal reefs and kelp forests along the Pacific coast from Point Conception, California to Baja California, Mexico, typically at depths of 5-60 meters. They require hard substrate for attachment and depend on kelp forests and algal communities for food sources.
