THE BLACK ABALONE : AN ENDANGERED MOLLUSK SPECIES WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY : BLACK ABALONE 

Excerpt : Black abalone were once the most abundant large shellfish clinging to the rocks of intertidal zones between Baja and Oregon. A savored delicacy for sea otters and native coastal people alike, these hard-shelled marine snails were prized for the iridescent colors and the occasional pearl found inside their shells. Like most other species of abalone native to coastal California, black abalone have been decimated by seafood enthusiasts and the fisheries that fill their plates.