ABALONE OR ORMER

BIOLOGY Abalone (called ormer in France and elsewhere) are molluscs, belonging to a group of animals known as gastropods (the same group as whelks). Abalone have one shell which is flattened, its shape gave the genus the name of Haliotis which means "sea ear". Abalone feed on algae in the wild and on some farms, although a manufactured feed is also used. In the wild abalone numbers have declined for a number of reasons, the most serious being illegal harvesting. STOCK OR FISHERY DETAIL Not applicable to farmed fishNot applicable to farmed fish STOCK INFORMATION Not applicable to farmed fish CAPTURE OR FARMING INFORMATION Abalone has been cultured in the Channel Islands and off the West coast of Ireland since the 1970's but is little known elsewhere in the UK. They can be farmed either at sea in nets or barrels, or in land based, enclosed systems. They are fed on seaweed, although commercial manufactured feeds are used in some farms. ADVICE Shellfish farming is a low impact form of mariculture. Abalone are farmed and harvested with little impact on the environment, particularly if they are fed on seaweed and farmed in land based systems