Haliotis sorenseni
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haliotis_sorenseni
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Haliotis sorenseni faces severe population decline primarily due to overharvesting for commercial and recreational abalone fishing, which has reduced populations to critically low levels. Ocean warming and acidification associated with climate change threaten the species' kelp forest habitat and reduce calcium carbonate availability needed for shell formation. Disease outbreaks, particularly withering syndrome caused by Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis, have devastated remaining populations along the California coast.
Habitat
Haliotis sorenseni inhabits rocky subtidal zones along the California coast, typically found in kelp forests and rocky reefs at depths of 6-40 meters. The species requires hard substrate for attachment and feeds primarily on drift kelp and other marine algae in these temperate marine ecosystems.
