Bamfield Community Huu-ay-aht
Abalone Project

| broodstock | DNA analysis | hatchery | settlement | outplanting |

Broodstock Collection and Tagging In Early June, 2003, the BHCAP went into Barkley Sound to return and collect Broodstock for the project. Broodstock from the hatchery were exchanged for abalone that are of reproductive age. This was done at the beginning of the spawning season to ensure that the abalone recovered might have gametes (sperm and eggs) to release for the next generation of BHCAP abalone. A main reason to "swap" broodstock is to increase the genetic diversity of the project's abalone. Not just anyone can go and collect abalone to start their own hatchery; the BHCAP has special permission from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to gather abalone for the project. James Mortimor, dive safety officer, underwent a special training session with the DFO in order to be qualified to collect abalone.

The abalone were exchanged at one of the study sites in Barkley sound.

Guy White, the project manager, is holding one of the older broodstock to be returned. The returned abalone are left tagged for identification purposes. Information about the abalone is kept on record for future use in identifying genetic stock from different populations.

James Mortimor and Nathan Webb are divers with the project. Abalone are subtidal creatures, therefore, collection is usually done with the help of trained SCUBA divers. Click here to watch the divers leave the boat. This clip demonstrates how much safety gear these divers require.

After about forty minutes, the divers returned with their catch. While underwater, the divers had to search for abalone of the right size. They measured the animals before removing them from the rocks. Here we see Dr. Dawn Renfrew pass the load of Abalone to Guy White.

Next, the abalone are measured and their sex is determined by moving the foot aside to see what colour the gonads are.

Males are orange...

...and females and green!

Here is the elusive "Hairy Abalone," with increased market value! Just kidding. Sometimes hydroids and seaweed can grow on an abalone's shell, making it look like hair.

Back at the hatchery, data,such as size and sex, is recorded.

A small sample of a tentacle is taken for DNA identification.

These samples are placed in centrifuge tubes for DNA extraction. Each sample is associated with a number that is tagged onto the abalone for future reference. The DNA from every broodstock abalone in the project is kept on file. This type of information is handy to identify lineage, and can be used to check that abalone from restaurants did not come from B.C.'s threatened population. If a restaurants source seems suspicious, the DNA in question can be cross referenced with a catalogue that the DFO is building. For more information about DNA, click here...

A spot on the shell is scrubbed clean for the application of a tag. Special epoxy is used to glue on something that will stick while in seawater.

A freshly tagged abalone!

Finally, the tagged abalone are placed in a conditioning tank where temperature and photoperiod are controlled to obtain a successful spawning!

What happens next? Adults are spawned in the hatchery!