Fish IDAbalone
Know your fish
Northern (pinto) abalone
Haliotis kamtschatkana
Typical size:8–12 cm
- Flat oval shell with a row of breathing holes along one edge
- Reddish, lumpy outside; pearly inside
- Glued to rock in kelp beds
OK to keep
- None — coastwide harvest closure since 1990
Must release
- All of them — illegal to harvest; report poachers to DFO
Best months
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Fishing licences across Canada
Rig to tie
What to bring
- Rake / shovel
- Bucket
- Measuring gauge
- Tidal licence
Closed.
Endangered; never harvest.
Where to catch Abalone near you 