Abalone are a popular delicacy around the world, prized for their sweet, briny flavor and tender texture. But as mollusks that breathe through gills, abalone can only survive for a limited time out of the water before suffocating. So how long exactly can abalone stay alive once caught and removed from the ocean?
Key Factors That Influence Abalone Survival Time
Several key factors affect how long abalone will remain alive when taken out of the water
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Size – Larger abalone have more body mass and moisture retention so they can survive longer, often 24-48 hours. Smaller abalone may only last 8-12 hours out of water.
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Species – Some species like black and green abalone seem to have slightly longer survival times compared to red and pink varieties.
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Temperature – Colder temperatures slow the abalone’s metabolism, preserving tissue moisture and extending survival. Keeping abalone cool is critical.
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Processing – Leaving abalone attached to the shell rather than shucking provides protection, adding hours to survival time.
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Packaging – Keeping shucked abalone meat in sealed humid packaging maintains moisture and prevents gill drying.
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Oxygenation – Access to oxygen is vital for survival. Sealed packaging should contain pure oxygen to prevent suffocation.
Tips for Maximizing Abalone Survival Time
Here are some best practices for keeping abalone alive as long as possible once caught:
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Leave abalone attached to the shell rather than shucking immediately. The shell helps retain moisture.
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Place abalone in a cooler, container, or breathable bag surrounded by ice packs. Keep as cold as possible, around 40°F.
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If shucking abalone meat, wrap in damp paper towels and keep chilled on ice. Don’t let the meat dry out.
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For long transit times, use moist seaweed or oxygenated packaging to line containers.
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Give abalone access to oxygen using a battery-powered aquarium pump and airline tubing. Prevent suffocation.
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Provide high humidity inside containers with damp paper towels atop ice packs.
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Cull any dead specimens quickly as they deteriorate rapidly. Live abalone tolerate handling better.
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Once shucked, cook abalone within 1-2 days for best quality. Don’t freeze, as ice crystals damage the meat.
Shipping Live Abalone
To ship abalone long distances:
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Leave abalone in shells to retain moisture and protect the fragile meat. Only shuck upon arrival.
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Pack abalone convex shell-side down in freezer gel packs to keep cold. Use gel pack layers top and bottom.
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Place small oxygen generators inside the insulated shipping box. Continuous oxygen is vital.
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Line box with seaweed or moist paper towels dampened with seawater.
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Insulate box and use frozen gel packs to maintain around 40°F during transit.
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Label as “Live Shellfish” and ship overnight express for fastest delivery.
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Notify recipient to refrigerate the box immediately until abalone can be shucked.
Abalone Survival Times by Handling Method
Here are approximate abalone survival times under different handling conditions:
- Attached to shell, refrigerated, and kept moist – Up to 48 hours
- Shucked, in oxygenated packaging – 24-36 hours
- Shucked, in damp paper towels on ice – 18-24 hours
- Shucked, exposed to air at room temperature – 8-12 hours
- Frozen with no protective packaging – Tissue damage; not recommended
Proper cold, moist, and oxygenated handling is key to maximizing abalone life span out of water.
Signs an Abalone Has Died
Look for these signs an abalone has expired:
- Limp, mushy meat texture
- Lack of muscle contraction when touched
- Milky colored fluid leaking from meat
- Pungent ammonia smell
- Discoloration and breakdown of meat tissue
- Lack of foot attachment to shells
- Total loss of suction/grip when handled
Once dead, bacteria will rapidly multiply, so abalone should be cleaned and cooked promptly. Discard any rotten specimens.
Enjoy Abalone at Its Best
Abalone have a finite survival period out of water. By quickly chilling, oxygenating, and keeping them moist, their fresh sweet flavor and tender texture can be preserved for 1-2 days after catching. This allows leisurely preparation to enjoy abalone at its absolute best. With proper handling, this prized delicacy can be kept alive and transported for overnight shipping.
How You Can Help
It is against the law in California to fish for, catch, or keep any kind of abalone. The only exception is taking red abalone for fun north of San Francisco during certain times.
Call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964 to report a federal marine resource violation. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone in the United States.
You may also contact your closest NOAA Office of Law Enforcement field office during regular business hours. –
The white abalone is one of NOAA Fisheries Species in the Spotlight. This is an agency-wide effort that began in 2015 to bring attention to and save the most endangered marine species.
White abalone are marine gastropods that eat plants. They live on rocky sea floors and are related to snails and slugs. White abalone are the most endangered of the seven species of abalone that live off the West Coast of North America.
Along the coasts of California and Baja California, Mexico, there used to be a lot of white abalone, but the population has dropped quickly. This drop was mostly caused by a short but intense commercial fishing industry in southern California before the 1980s. Since 1997, all abalone fisheries have been shut down. However, the white abalone populations have not grown as expected.
NOAA Fisheries listed white abalone as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2001. The white abalone population is in bad shape and is declining quickly. This makes it important for NOAA Fisheries and our partners to work together to stabilize the population and keep this unique species from going extinct.
To help the white abalone recover, NOAA Fisheries put together a group of scientists and other interested parties to help make a white abalone recovery plan. The plan was completed in October 2008. Scientific studies and other sources of information were used to come up with specific criteria that would show when these animals were healthy again.
2019 Partner in the Spotlight Award Image
Amanda Bird. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/D. Witting
Amanda Bird, founder of the Paua Marine Research Group, has played an instrumental role in advancing field-based methods to restore white abalone populations in the wild throughout the Southern California Bight. In 2013, as part of her Masters program at California State University, Fullerton, Amanda focused on assessing the population status of Southern California pinto abalone. Pinto abalone are closely related to white abalone. During her thesis research, Amanda worked closely with NOAA Fisheries on white abalone recovery efforts.
Abalones of California. Interesting facts.
FAQ
How long does abalone stay fresh?
How do you keep abalone alive at home?
How long do abalone live?
How do you store fresh caught abalone?
What is the mortality rate of an abalone?
Abalone with shells less than a quarter-inch long suffer a mortality rate of 60% to 99%. They are most likely to be preyed upon by filter feeders within the first 24 hours of being released, when they’re actively searching for a suitable habitat. When they are born on a farm, their survival rate increases.
How long do abalone live in Monterey?
After being caught in Monterey, abalone will live at least 36 hours. It’s important to shuck them (remove from shell) as soon as possible. If you can’t shuck them right away, keep the box in a refrigerator within a few hours of arrival to ensure they stay cool.
How does warm water affect black abalone?
Warming water may indirectly affect black abalone by reducing the growth of important food sources like kelp and other algae. It may also contribute to harmful algal blooms, which can reduce oxygen levels in the water and kill abalone. Prolonged exposure to low oxygen may also reduce juvenile survival.