White Abalone | Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute

A close up of two white abalone that are dramatically different sizes perched on top of a person's fingertips

Saving White Abalone

White Abalone Conservation

White abalone were the first marine invertebrate listed as endangered in the United States, and scientists are working to restore the species.

Learn more about White Abalone Conservation at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory:

The Road to Recovery

Learn about this iconic species, the history of the Captive Breeding Program, and meet some of our partners.

Visit Our StoryMap

Bringing White Abalone Back From The Brink

May 11, 2017

Dr. Kristin Aquilino and Professor Gary Cherr at UC Davis hope hope to save the species by reintroducing their captive-bred population back into the wild. While once thriving in kelp forests in Southern California and Mexico, the white abalone are now being threatening by overfishing and are close to extinction. By breeding them in captivity, there is hope that there may be a chance for the populations to recover.

The Extraordinary Effort to Save the White Abalone

March 16, 2017

Bodega Marine Laboratory team member Kristin Aquilino has been featured on KQED Science regarding her efforts to study and protect white abalone. Aquilino reflects on her time at BML researching abalone and the path to species revival.

Read the KQED Science article here.