Pinto Abalone Restoration in the Salish Sea

Emily Loose, Subtidal Shellfish Biologist, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife

Presentation: Pinto abalone are marine snails found in rocky reef and kelp forest habitats in the Salish Sea and beyond. These cryptic mollusks play a critical ecosystem role in nutrient cycling. Their voracious grazing – which earned them the nickname “Roombas of the sea” – cleans rocky surfaces to support settlement of a diversity of kelp species. Known for their iridescent shells and flavorful meat, they have historically been highly sought-after by harvesters. Although a commercial abalone fishery never existed in Washington, and the popular recreational fishery closed in 1994, the pinto population showed concerning levels of decline, and they were listed as state endangered in Washington in2019. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with academic, tribal, and non-profit partners, are working toward restoration of pinto abalone using captive rearing and release methods.  

More About Emily: I have a bachelor’s degree in biology, and a master’s degree in marine science from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary. I have worked with many different marine, anadromous, and freshwater species around the country, and spent about 7 years living and working full time at sea: first on tall ships, and later, on research vessels for the EPA and NOAA. I am currently an abalone biologist with the Subtidal Shellfish Dive Team at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, where I’ve been for the last five years. I spend a great deal of my work and free time in, on, and under the waters of the Salish Sea.

———————————-
For those attending in person, the doors open at 5:30pm and the presentation will begin at 6pm. Please purchase your beverages in the Cocktails & Fishtales event space rather than at the bar so we can reach our drink minimum. If you’re planning on dinner, food must be consumed in the restaurant, so plan to eat either ahead of the event or after the presentation.
For those who can’t make it in person, we will plan to stream this in person presentation to the Harbor WildWatch Facebook page. To access Facebook Live events, simply search Harbor WildWatch on Facebook at the scheduled time (6pm for the presentation) to find the live feed on our page. The videos will always post in full once the live stream ends, so feel free to catch up with any content you miss by scrolling through our facebook page. These videos will also get posted to youtube. All times are posted as PST.

Cocktails & Fishtales are educational events. As such, Harbor WildWatch does not endorse any speaker, service, or product represented at Cocktails & Fishtales.