The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that it recommends keeping the state’s only native abalone on its endangered species list.
Pinto abalone is a large oval-shaped marine snail that has historically lived along the West Coast, including in Skagit County.
The state’s pinto abalone population plummeted in the late 1980s and early 1990s due to overharvesting.
The species was first added to the state’s endangered species list in 2019.
A group has been working since 2009 to breed and plant juvenile pinto abalone in an effort to restore their population.
“While pinto abalone recovery efforts are progressing well, the species’ population trend over the past 10 years is not increasing and key criteria for downlisting to threatened have not been met,” Katie Sowul, Fish and Wildlife’s lead abalone biologist, said in a news release.
The department is seeking public input on its pinto abalone draft periodic status review, which includes its recommendation to keep the species on the state’s endangered species list.
The state completes draft periodic status reviews every five years to assess species’ population, habitat trends and management activities.
Those interested can submit comments by email to abalone@dfw.wa.gov or by mail to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife ATTN: Katie Sowul, P.O. Box 43150, Olympia, WA 98504-3150.
