Washington Project: Dynamics and Distribution of black abalone populations at San Nicolas Island, California USA

Washington Project

Dynamics and Distribution of black abalone populations at San Nicolas Island, California USA

January 1993 - December 2017

Personnel

Glenn VanBlaricom, Principal Investigator
Carolyn Friedman, Co-Principal Investigator
Melissa Neuman, Co-Principal Investigator
David Witting, Co-Principal Investigator

Participating Agencies

School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle WA
Western Fisheries Research Center
Cooperative Research Units
USDOD Legacy Resource Management Program
Office of Protected Resources, NOAA Southwest Regional Office, Long Beach CA
Office of Protected Resources, West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

To be added

Research Publications

Research Publications	Publication Date
VanBlaricom, G. R. 1993. Dynamics and distribution of black abalone populations at San Nicolas Island. Pages 323-334 in F. G. Hochberg (editor). Third California Islands Symposium: Recent Advances in research on the California Islands. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California.	September 1993
VanBlaricom, G.R., J.L. Ruediger, C.S. Friedman, D.D. Woodard, and R.P. Hedrick. 1993. Discovery of withering syndrome among black abalone populations at San Nicolas Island, California. Journal of Shellfish Research 12: 185-188.	January 1993
Neuman, M.J., B. Tissot, and G.R. VanBlaricom. 2010. Overall status and threats assessment of black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) populations in California, USA. Journal of Shellfish Research 29: 577-586	November 2010
Blaud, B.M., G.R. VanBlaricom, and M.J. Neuman. 2012. Significant wave height, tidal level, and distance between neighboring individuals of opposite sex affect probability for fertilization in spawning black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814). Abstract. Journal of Shellfish Research 31: 262-263.	April 2012
Crosson, L.M., N. Wight, G.R. VanBlaricom, I. Kiryu, J.D. Moore, and C.S. Friedman. 2014. Withering syndrome: Distribution, impacts, current diagnostic methods and new findings. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 108: 261-270. doi: 10.3354/dao02713. \| Abstract	April 2014	Withering Syndrome, WS, is a fatal disease of abalone caused by a Rickettsia-like organism (WS-RLO). The causative agent, “Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis”, occurs along the eastern Pacific margin of North America in California, USA and Baja California, Mexico. However, as infected abalones have been transported to Chile, China (People’s Rep. of), Taiwan, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Spain, Thailand, and most recently Japan, and possibly other countries, the geographical range of the etiological agent is suspected to be broad where California red abalones, Haliotis rufescens, are cultured or in areas where native species have been exposed to this species. Susceptibility varies among species with up to 99% losses of black abalone, H. cracherodii, in lab and field studies in the USA to no losses among H. diversicolor supertexta in Thailand. Some populations that have suffered catastrophic losses to WS have developed an increased resistance to the disease. In addition, a newly identified phage hyperparasite of the WS-RLO may reduce pathogenicity and dampen losses from the WS-RLO. Diagnosis of WS requires the identification of infection with the pathogen (WS-RLO via in situ hybridization or via histology coupled with PCR and sequence analysis) accompanied by morphological changes that characterize this disease (e.g. pedal and digestive gland atrophy, and digestive gland metaplasia). A real-time PCR (qPCR) assay has been developed and may be useful in quantifying amounts of pathogen DNA. Confirmation of infection by the WS-RLO cannot be done by PCR analysis alone as this method only detects pathogen DNA, but can be used as a proxy for infection in areas where the agent is established. Control measures include avoidance, culling infected animals and, as per federal regulations, oral or bath treatment with oxytetracycline. Avoidance is best accomplished by the establishment of a health history and multiple health examinations prior to movement of animals. Although histology or in situ hybridization are required to confirm infection, qPCR is able to detect small amounts of pathogen DNA and is advised to be included as part of health examinations.
Crosson, L.M., S. Roberts, G.R. VanBlaricom, and C.S. Friedman. 2012. A transcriptomic approach in search of disease resistance in endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii). Abstract. Journal of Shellfish Research 31: 272.	April 2012

Presentations

Presentations	Presentation Date
Wang, S, MJ Neuman, T Ben-Horin, CS Friedman, K Gruenthal, S Lonhart, J Moore, P Raimondi, D Richards, A Shanks, J Steinbeck, I Taniguchi, J Ugoretz, G. VanBlaricom, and S Whitaker. 2016. It’s black or white: A different roadmap to restoring the endangered black abalone, Haliotis cracherodii. Joint Conference: 49th Annual Meeting of the Western Society of Malacologists and 82nd Annual Meeting of the American Malacological Society. 12-16 June 2016. Enseneda, Baja California, Mexico. Spoken presentation by S. Wang.	June 2016
VanBlaricom, G.R. 2016. Overlapping catastrophes in the intertidal ecosystems of San Nicolas Island. Annual Meeting, Marine Rocky Intertidal Network. San Diego, California USA. Oral presentation by VanBlaricom	February 2016
Wang, S., M. Neuman, S. Busch, J. Butler, A. DeVogelaere, C. Friedman, K. Gruenthal, R. Gustafson, D. Kushner, C. Mobley, D. Richards, S. Rumsey, K. Stierhoff, B. Taylor, G. VanBlaricom, and S. Wright. 2015. Decision-Making under the Endangered Species Act: Lessons learned from status reviews for black abalone and pinto abalone. Ninth International Abalone Symposium, 5-10 October 2015, Yeosu, South Korea.	October 2015
VanBlaricom, G.R., M.J. Neuman, and D.A. Witting. 2015. Indications of recovery trends in three species of abalone in California, with apparent linkages to ocean-scale temperature anomalies. 107th Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association, Monterey, California USA. 22-26 March 2015.	March 2015
Wang, S., M. Neuman, S. Busch, C. Friedman, K. Gruenthal, R. Gustafson, D. Kushner, K. Stierhoff, G.R. VanBlaricom, and S. Wright. 2015. Decision-making in the face of uncertainty: an evaluation of pinto abalone under the Endangered Species Act. 107th Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association, Monterey, California USA. 22-26 March 2015.	March 2015
Blaud, B.M. G.R. VanBlaricom, and M.J. Neuman. 2012. Experimental estimation of minimal proximity for successful fertilization in spawning male-female pairs of black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii leach, 1814) based on dispersal of surrogate gamete-sized particles. 66th Annual Joint Meeting, Pacific Coast Section, National Shellfisheries Association, and Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. Tulalip, Washington, USA. 26 September 2012. Contributed spoken presentation by Blaud. IP-039526.	September 2012
VanBlaricom, G.R., M.J. Neuman, and C.S. Friedman. 2012 Emergence of apparently recovering populations of the endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) in the major southern California islands following disease-induced mass mortalities. 8th California Islands Symposium. Ventura, California, USA.	October 2012
Blaud, B.M. G.R. VanBlaricom, and M.J. Neuman. 2012. Experimental estimation of minimal proximity for successful fertilization in spawning male-female pairs of black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii leach, 1814) based on dispersal of surrogate gamete-sized particles. Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Annual Cooperators Meeting, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA. 27 September 2012. Contributed spoken presentation by Blaud.	September 2012
Blaud, B.M., G.R. VanBlaricom, and M.J. Neuman. 2012. Experimental estimation of minimal required proximity for successful fertilization in spawning male-female pairs of the endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) based on dispersal of surrogate gamete-sized particles. 8th California Islands Symposium. Ventura, California, USA.	October 2012
VanBlaricom, G.R., M.J. Neuman, B.M. Blaud, and C.S. Friedman. 2012. Demographic shifts in black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) populations following disease-induced mass mortalities at San Nicolas Island, California, USA. 66th Annual Joint Meeting, Pacific Coast Section, National Shellfisheries Association, and Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. Tulalip, Washington, USA. 26 September 2012. Contributed spoken presentation by VanBlaricom. IP-038930.	September 2012
Blaud, B.M., and G.R. VanBlaricom. 2012. Experimental estimation of minimal proximity for successful fertilization in spawning male-female pairs of black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) based on dispersal of surrogate gamete-sized particles. 8th International Abalone Symposium. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.	May 2012
VanBlaricom, G.R., B.M. Blaud, and C.S. Friedman. 2012. Disease-induced fluctuations in endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) populations over a 32-year time span at San Nicolas Island, California, USA, with implications for reproductive potential. 104th Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association. Seattle, Washington, USA.	March 2012
Blaud, B.M., G.R. VanBlaricom, and M.J. Neuman. 2012. Significant wave height, tidal level, and distance between neighboring individuals of opposite sex affect probability for fertilization in spawning black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814). 104th Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association. Seattle, Washington, USA.	March 2012
Crosson, L.M., S. Roberts, G.R. VanBlaricom, and C.S. Friedman. 2012. A transcriptomic approach in search of disease resistance in endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii). 104th Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association. Seattle, Washington, USA.	March 2012
Friedman, C.S., N. Wight, L. Crosson, and G.R. VanBlaricom. Development of disease resistance in black abalone. Annual Joint Meeting of the Pacific Coast Section, National Shellfisheries Association, and the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. Chelan, Washington, USA.	October 2008
VanBlaricom, G.R., B.M. Blaud, and C.S. Friedman. 2012. Disease-induced fluctuations in endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) populations over a 32-year time span at San Nicolas Island, California, USA, with implications for reproductive potential. 8th International Abalone Symposium. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.	May 2012
VanBlaricom, G.R., and M.J. Neuman. 2012. Updates on three efforts to recover and protect black abalone populations, with additional comments on oil spill risks. Annual Workshop, Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network. 24-25 February 2012. Santa Cruz, California, USA.	February 2012
Crosson, L., N.A. Wight, S.B. Roberts, G.R. VanBlaricom, and C.S. Friedman. Influence of rickettsial pathogens on black abalone Haliotis cracherodii: differential susceptibility and host response. Aquaculture 2010 -Triennial Meeting of the National Shellfisheries Association, World Aquaculture Society, and Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society. San Diego, California, USA.	March 2010
VanBlaricom, G.R., C.S. Friedman, M.J. Neuman, and J.L. Price. Glimmers of hope in a grim seascape: evidence for positive numerical trends in an insular population of the endangered black abalone in California. Aquaculture 2010 -Triennial Meeting of the National Shellfisheries Association, World Aquaculture Society, and Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society. San Diego, California, USA.	March 2010
VanBlaricom, G.R., S.L. Ashworth, A.A. Booth, and M.J. Neuman. Size-specific patterns of individual movement in endangered black abalones. 63rd Annual Shellfish Conference. Pacific Coast Section, National Shellfisheries Association, and Pacific Coast Shellfish Grower’s Association. Portland, Oregon, USA.	September 2009
VanBlaricom, G.R. 2012. Expanding post-disease recovery in populations of the endangered black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) at San Nicolas Island, California, USA. Annual Workshop, Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network. 24-25 February 2012. Santa Cruz, California, USA.	February 2012
Neuman, M., D. Witting, and G.R. VanBlaricom. Demographic signs of small-scale recovery of black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) on an isolated island off the coast of southern California, USA. 7th International Abalone Symposium. Pattaya, Thailand.	July 2009
Friedman, C.S., N. Wight, L.M. Crosson, and G.R. VanBlaricom. 2012. Resistance to bacterial disease in abalones: Role of host and bacterial hyperparasite. 104th Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association. Seattle, Washington, USA. 28 March 2012. Invited spoken presentation by Friedman.	March 2012
VanBlaricom, G.R., and C.S. Friedman. Relationships of disease-induced mortality and disease resistance to the dynamics of black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814) at San Nicolas Island, California. Annual Joint Meeting of the Pacific Coast Section, National Shellfisheries Association, and the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association. Chelan, Washington, USA.	October 2008
VanBlaricom, G.R., and M.J. Neuman. Large-scale depletion of black abalone in California and Mexico: Patterns of decline and prospects for unaided recovery in a warming ocean. Twenty-second Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology. Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.	July 2008
Neuman, M.J., and G.R. VanBlaricom. Status of black abalone populations at the California Channel Islands: Implications for long-term viability throughout the range of the species. Seventh California Islands Symposium. Channel Islands National Park and Institute for Wildlife Studies. Oxnard, California, USA.	February 2008
VanBlaricom, G.R., and K. Adams. Selection of microhabitat temperature regimes by black abalones in the rocky intertidal zone at San Nicolas Island, California. Seventh California Islands Symposium. Channel Islands National Park and Institute for Wildlife Studies. Oxnard, California, USA.	February 2008
VanBlaricom, G.R. Dogma takes a detour: How a novel disease complicates sea otter-abalone interactions at San Nicolas Island. Sea Otter Conservation Workshop V. Seattle Aquarium. Seattle, Washington, USA.	March 2007
Friedman, C., G. VanBlaricom, N. Wight, C. Jackels, R. Strenge, L. Crosson, B. Vadopalas, T. McCormick, J. Wilson, H. Lenihan, and K. Lafferty. University of Washington withering syndrome resistance study. Black Abalone Workshop. National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California, USA.	July 2006
VanBlaricom, G. R. Recent patterns of abundance, recruitment, and dispersion in black abalone populations at San Nicolas Island. Black Abalone Workshop. National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California, USA.	July 2006
VanBlaricom, G. R. Trends in black abalone populations on San Nicolas Island. Black Abalone Workshop. National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California, USA.	January 2004
VanBlaricom, G.R. Diet of black abalones (Haliotis cracherodii [Leach, 1814]) at San Nicolas Island, California: Selective detritivores or shameless omnivores? Sixth California Islands Symposium. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Ventura, California, USA	December 2003
VanBlaricom, G.R., and M.D. Chambers. Behavioral mitigation of depensation in a population of abalones depleted by exotic disease. 17th Annual Meeting, Society for Conservation Biology. Duluth, Minnesota, USA.	June 2003
VanBlaricom, G.R. Confounding effects of novel disease in the characterization of marine mammal-fishery interactions. 14th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Society for Marine Mammalogy. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada	December 2001
Ruediger, J.L., and G.R. VanBlaricom. Abalone withering syndrome at San Nicolas Island, California. Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association. Portland, Oregon, USA.	April 1993
Ruediger, J.L., and G.R. VanBlaricom. Abalone withering syndrome at San Nicolas Island, California. Fourth California Islands Symposium: Update on the Status of Resources. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California, USA.	March 1994
Ruediger, J.L., and G.R. VanBlaricom. Discovery of abalone withering syndrome at San Nicolas Island, California. Annual Meeting, Western Society of Naturalists. Otter Crest, Oregon, USA.	January 1993
Ruediger, J.L., and G.R. VanBlaricom. Discovery of abalone withering syndrome at San Nicolas Island, California. Annual Meeting, Western Society of Naturalists. Otter Crest, Oregon, USA.	January 1993
Chambers, M., C. Friedman, L. Hauser, F. Utter, and G. VanBlaricom. Larval dispersal and retention at San Nicolas Island simulated by a drift card study. Sixth California Islands Symposium. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Ventura, California, USA.	December 2003
Chambers, M.D., C. Friedman, L. Hauser, and G.R. VanBlaricom. The effects of larval dispersal on genetic structure of black abalones (Haliotis cracherodii). Annual Meeting, California Cooperative Oceanic Fishery Investigations. Pacific Grove, California, USA.	November 2003
Chambers, M.D., C.S. Friedman, L. Hauser and G.R. VanBlaricom. Populaton structure and recovery dynamics of black abalones (Haliotis cracherodii) at San Nicolas Island, California. Annual Meeting, National Shellfisheries Association. Newport, Oregon, USA	September 2002
Chambers, M.D., C.S. Friedman, L. Hauser, and G.R. VanBlaricom. The effects of larval dispersal on genetic structure of black abalones (Haliotis cracherodii). 17th Annual Meeting, Society for Conservation Biology. Duluth, Minnesota, USA	June 2003

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations	Publication Date
Ruediger, Joan L. 1999. Ecological characteristics of abalone withering syndrome in the California Channel Islands: Discovery, effects, and persistence. Masters thesis, Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California USA.	March 1999
Chambers, M.D. 2004. Population structure and recovery dynamics of black abalones (Haliotis cracherodii) from withering syndrome in the California Islands. School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington USA.	June 2004
Blaud, Brianna M. 2013. Spatial and temporal patterns of fertilization in black abalone (Haliotis cracherodii Leach, 1814): Analysis of surrogate gamete spawning experiments with application towards populations on San Nicolas Island, California. Masters Thesis, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, College of the Environment, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington USA.	December 2013

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Washington Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Washington Project

Dynamics and Distribution of black abalone populations at San Nicolas Island, California USA

January 1993 - December 2017

Personnel

Participating Agencies

Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Washington
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources