NORTHERN ABALONE STOCK STATUS & FISHERY FACTS

NISGA'A Coast Watch Newsletter, Feb. 2009

The Northern abalone was designated as a 'threatened' species by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife of Canada) on April 23, 1999, marking the first ever Canadian marine invertebrate to receive such a status. The 'threatened' classification means that this species is likely to become endangered unless limiting factors are not reversed.

The introduction of SCUBA in the 1950's marked the beginning of commercial and small recreational fisheries. Commercial abalone landings were low prior to the early 1970's, but peaked at 481.4 tons in 1977 as a result of increased demand and technological improvements enabling exploitation of more remote northern areas of the BC coast. Landings then declined to under 100 tons by 1981 and remained below the 47 ton quota from 1985 through 1990.

Surveys at various locations along the BC coast have indicated that abalone abundance had declined by more than 75 % between 1978 and 1984. Increases in commercial catch combined with targeting of easy-to-see spawning aggregations resulted in excessive depletion of abalone throughout the BC coast.  Facing population collapse, the abalone fishery was closed in December 1990 to all user groups including First Nations, recreational and commercial harvesters, in hopes of rebuilding the depleted population.

We are embarking on a new program for our youth.  The plan is to run field trips beachcombing the Nass estuary, learning about Lisims, and hopefully developing our next generation of resource managers.  The program will be hands-on, and highly interactive with loads of fun.  Some of the learning will be web-based, and include a few of the listed sites, below.

Parks Canada Youth Zone
Vancouver Aquarium Educators' Guide
Secrets at Sea
Project WILD
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Science ALIVE
Redwire
The Leader in Me

To learn more contact Richard at Nisga’a Fisheries.

Illegal Harvesting: A major threat!

Poaching has been occurring for over two decades. High black market prices are fuelling the demand, and some people continue to harvest in spite of the closure. Illegal harvesting is the major factor in the continual decline of the abalone populations since the 1990 fisheries closure. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Please help abalone recovery - report any incidents of abalone poaching or selling, to 1-800-465-4336.

Coast Watch programs are springing up in many BC coastal communities, inspired by the Bamfield Huu-ay-aht Community Abalone Project on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Nisga’a Coast Watch was started in 2006 by Nisga’a  Fisheries & Wildlife, working with other First Nations and stewardship groups.
Abalone Patrols are being conducted on the north coast by Nisga’a Fisheries, other First Nations, and the Coast Guard, to watch for poaching and monitor abalone areas.

Monitoring is only the first step to the recovery of this threatened species.

IF YOU SEE ANY SIGNS OF POACHING OR SELLING ABALONE:

	1. OBSERVE	Coast Watch programs are springing up in many BC coastal communities, inspired by the Bamfield Huu-ay-aht Community Abalone Project on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Nisga’a Coast Watch was started in 2006 by Nisga’a  Fisheries & Wildlife, working with other First Nations and stewardship groups. Abalone Patrols are being conducted on the north coast by Nisga’a Fisheries, other First Nations, and the Coast Guard, to watch for poaching and monitor abalone areas.
	2. RECORD
	3. REPORT Call 1-800-465-4336

CURRENT EVENTS

• Nisga'a Community Action Plan (Click here to download):  Involving local stewards via Community workshops in New Aiyansh, Gitwinksihlkw, Laxalzap, Gingolx, and Prince Rupert, and develop a plan to recover our local abalone
  
  
• Map & monitor abalone: With your help, we can map Nisga'a local knowledge of abalone areas, and start minotoring population health

• Abalone Patrols are being conducted by Nisga'a Fisheries to watch for poaching and monitor abalone areas
  
  
• Coast Watch: Your eyes and ears are needed! Please help abalone recover. Report any incidents of abalone poaching or selling, to
  1-800-465-4336
  

If you have any questions, or would like to help, contact:

Nisga'a Lisims Government
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

P.O. Box 228
New Aiyansh, BC
V0J 1A0
Phone (250) 633-2617 
Fax (250) 633-2971

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