Bamfield Community Huu-ay-aht
Abalone Project

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

- Outplanting - Summer 2004

In the Summer of 2004, 500,000 abalone were outplanted to our study sites in Barkley Sound. Our divers were Ali Griffiths, Ally McNaughton, Megan Saunders, and dive officer, James Mortimor. John Richards skippered the boat, and Dr. Dawn Renfrew and Matilda Charleson were on hand to set up the abalone for the outplant. Also during this trip, wild broodstock were returned to the ocean.

James, Ali, Ally, and Megan suit up for the dive.	Skipper, and current project president, John Richards, looks on.	Just about ready!
Suiting up with weight belt.	Dr. Dawn Renfrew getting equipment ready.	Check out your buddy before you dive!
Divers in the water at the study site. They are off to prep the spots to deliver the larvae.	Bag-full of babies. There are approximately 500,000 abalone larvae in this bag.	The larvae are placed in a settling solution for 20 minutes. This will cause them to settle on the bottom, instead of drifting away with the current.
Here they are in the settling solution. The mesh container makes it easy to collect them following treatment.	The divers are just about ready for the animals.	Rinsing of the larvae.
A bit more rinsing...	They are then poured into syringes.	Matilda holds onto the syringes while a bit of harmless dye is added to each one. This helps the divers see where they inject the larvae.
Syringes ready to go. The divers will inject the animals into rocky crevices.	Hand off to the divers.	These are the wild broodstock to be returned to the ocean.
The broodstock have been tagged. This will help id them in the future.	The divers regroup before going out again.	Off they go!
A helping hand back into the boat.	All in a days work.	Collecting some Nereocystis for the abalone back home, maybe a snack for later ;)
more outplanting events: November 2003 | Summer 2004 | March 2005 OceanLink Home | BHCAP | Coast Watch | Abalone Biology First Nations | Links