ESA Permit Renewal for White Abalone Captive Breeding and Research

NOAA Fisheries is requesting public comment on a permit renewal application. Please submit written comments by email to nmfs.wcr-apps@noaa.gov and include the permit number (14344-3R) in the subject line of the email.

The University of California, Davis’ Bodega Marine Laboratory has 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 would 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 producing healthy abalone for outplanting to restore wild populations.