ESA Permit Renewal for White Abalone Captive Breeding and Research

NOAA Fisheries has renewed a scientific research and enhancement permit (Permit 14344-3R) to the University of California, Davis, under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries requested public comment on the permit application in January 2023; no public comments were received.

The University of California, Davis’ Bodega Marine Laboratory requested to renew a scientific research and enhancement permit to hold, breed, and conduct research studies on captive white abalone, as well as to collect additional wild white abalone to serve as broodstock. Under the previous permit, researchers maintained healthy populations of white abalone in captive facilities throughout California, conducted studies to improve captive breeding success, produced captive-bred white abalone for research and outplanting, and collected several white abalone from the wild to enhance the numbers and genetic diversity of the captive broodstock.

This permit renewal will allow researchers to maintain captive white abalone populations, continue captive breeding and research studies, and collect wild broodstock for an additional five years. The purpose of the permit activities is to support recovery of white abalone through implementing critical lab studies to inform recovery and by producing healthy abalone for field planting to restore wild populations.