Red abalone remains closed to recreational fishing until 2026, CDFW announces

MENDOCINO Co., 3/21/21 — The recreational red abalone fishery will stay closed for the next five years, until 2026, to allow the population to recover and survive after the decline of the bull kelp forests and resultant increase in purple urchins have contributed to significantly smaller abalone populations.

The recreational red abalone fishery was first closed by the Fish & Game Commission in 2017 due to these concerns, and the commission extended the closure until 2026 during a meeting last December. According to the announcement, the agency is developing a Red Abalone Fishery Management Plan to assess potential re-opening dates, which can be found here. There are currently extensive local and statewide efforts underway to restore the kelp forest and reduce the purple urchin population, which has contributed to the decline of red abalone — you can read more of our coverage of kelp forest restoration efforts in Mendocino County here.