Ways you can help save white abalone
There are many ways you can help save this precious marine snail!
1. Consider giving
Federal funding has, until now, always covered the core operations of our program. Unfortunately, we now face funding gaps and uncertainty. Time is of the essence for white abalone, which will likely go extinct without our efforts to restore them, so we need support now more than ever to keep this program going strong. Gifts to white abalone restoration can be made by clicking here .
2. Visit your neighborhood marine snails
Get to know your favorite sea snails by visiting a local aquarium. White abalone are currently on display at Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, the California Science Center in Los Angeles, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center in Santa Barbara, and the UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab in Bodega Bay. Visit our Partners page to learn more about where you can view white abalone. Other abalone species, such as the iconic red abalone, are also at public aquaria throughout California and beyond! These are great places for learning about the importance of abalone to coastal ecosystems, cultures, and economies.
3. Support sustainable seafood
The harvest of clean, sustainable, wild and farmed seafood is necessary to support our increasing global population and maintain the health of our oceans. There are many resources that can help you make good seafood choices, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium ’s Seafood Watch program is one of our favorites. Abalone aquaculture is generally accepted as highly sustainable, and many of the red abalone farms in California, such as The Cultured Abalone Farm in Goleta and Monterey Abalone Company in Monterey help contribute to white abalone restoration by sharing their expertise and their freshly harvested kelp.
4. Report poaching
Poaching remains a major threat to all seven abalone species in the United States, as well as abalone throughout the world. White abalone are also threatened by poaching. If you’re in California and you suspect abalone poaching, call CalTIP at 1–888–334-CalTIP (888–334–2258).
5. Be heard
Tell your friends and family about why restoring white abalone is important to you, and contact your local, state, and federal representatives to voice your concerns about endangered abalone. The US Endangered Species Act is considered a global standard for preventing extinction, and it takes active engagement to keep it strong and effective.
Be an advocate for federal funding for science!
White Abalone Captive Breeding Program 