Abalone reseeding and enhancement

With many of the world's abalone fisheries fully exploited or overexploited, together with loss of suitable abalone habitat in many countries, aquaculture-based enhancement is becoming more common. Juveniles, or larvae, produced in hatcheries, are used to restore or enhance depleted populations. Past experience, however, has suggested that relatively few enhancement programs have produced significant increases in yield or economic benefits. Many countries have initiated abalone enhancement attempts, some with more success than others. This chapter details enhancement operations in Japan, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Mexico, and outlines the different protocols that have been used. Genetic considerations and economic viability are also considered.