The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), is asking for US governmental permission to collect and move Black Abalone to potential new habitats.
UCSC is seeking a “research and enhancement permit” to authorize the collection and transplanting of Black Abalone, according to a recent Federal Register notice:
“The purpose of this permit is to advance recovery of black abalone by evaluating transplantation as a tool to re-establish populations where they have been locally extirpated and to enhance populations that have experienced declines. The permit would authorize activities for five years.
“Activities would include collection of black abalone and removal from the wild, captive holding for one to several days, release at the restoration sites, and monitoring. Collected abalone would be photographed, measured, weighed, visually assessed for health and gonad condition, genetically sampled (e.g., a swab and/or an epipodial clipping), and tagged. A proportion of the abalone may be injured or killed due to collection and handling. Severely injured abalone would be held in captivity for rehabilitation. Dead abalone would be preserved and available for analysis at approved labs. Researchers would coordinate closely with [the US National Marine Fisheries Service], the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other partners on all collection and transplanting activities and follow protocols to minimize stress and harm to black abalone.”
Check out the notice here.
