Priority Species : Haliotismidae - A Closer Look at Abalone

Abalone (from the Spanish Abulon, meaning ear shell) are a group of shellfish in the family Haliotidae and the Haliotis genus. These mollusks were once abundant along the coast of Southern Africa, but due to commercial and sport harvesting and poaching, their numbers have declined rapidly over the years. 

Known colloquially in South Africa as perlemoen, they are still found along two thirds of the country's coastline. For many years, abalone diving was a recreational activity, but due to large amounts of illegal harvesting, permits are now required for anyone who wishes to harvest, whether for commercial or personal reasons. In the past couple of years, however, the government has not issued any permits, and the collection, exportation and trade in these mollusks remains heavily controlled. 

The government announced in 2007 that abalone was an endangered species according to Appendix III of the CITES list. While this listing was removed in 2010 an export permit is still required, and the sale of perlemoen meat in South Africa is prohibited in an attempt to curb poaching. Despite these precautions, large quantities of South African abalone still finds its way into the Asian market. 

According to sources, the going rate for 1 kg of abalone meat was US$40 in 2008, and the shells could fetch a rate of approximately US$1400 per metric ton. Abalone flesh is considered a delicacy both locally and internationally. There is still an active trade in shells, which are highly sought after by collectors and often used in decorations, jewelry and smudging ceremonies by the Native Americans in the US and Canada. 

There are also speculations that local criminal gangs use abalone to barter with Chinese nationals in exchange for   the chemicals needed for the manufacturing of drugs. This practice is said to eliminate the necessity of money exchanging hands, and thus reduces the need for money laundering and avoids the associated problems. This places the trade in abalone in the category of organised crime. 

Abalone is easily identifiable when still in the shell, but is often traded or transported as parts or derivatives. The flesh is dried into discs, which may hinder swift and accurate identification. The shells are sometimes ground up and can therefore only be identified by means of DNA analysis. 

It is estimated that an average of 1000 ton of abalone is removed every year, despite the ban on commercial or sport harvesting.