Steep Decline in the Rare Flat Abalone, Haliotis walallensis, Following Fishing Exploitation and a Marine Heat Wave: The Next Neoextinction?

This article focuses on the dramatic decline of the flat abalone (Haliotis walallensis) along the Pacific coast of North America, particularly in northern California and southern Oregon, due to combined stressors including overfishing and the 2014–2016 marine heat wave that caused kelp forest collapse. Surveys and fishery data reveal near-total population collapses in core habitats, with flat abalone densities dropping to near zero and no signs of recovery, raising concerns about a potential neoextinction. The species is currently listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as a species of concern in the United States, but lacks a formal recovery plan. The authors emphasize the urgent need for standardized, well-funded surveys, coordinated conservation efforts across jurisdictions, and proactive restoration strategies, including potential captive breeding programs, to prevent the extinction of this rare marine mollusk.