November 18, 2013 — Federal regulators say Endangered Species Act protections may be justified for a much-depleted population of marine snail that is Alaska’s only native abalone.
The National Marine Fisheries Service, in a Federal Register notice published Monday, said that two petitions seeking endangered or threatened listing for the pinto abalone “present substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action may be warranted.” The agency said it will conduct a 90-day status review of the population, a precursor to possible listing.
Also known as the northern abalone, the pinto is the sole abalone species found in Alaska, according to the state Department of Fish and Game. It has an historic range spanning from southeast Alaska to Baja California.
Read the full story at the Alaska Dispatch