In Western Canada, Abalone Recovery Creates New Opportunity for Indigenous Management

Northern abalone, or gálgahl’yaan in the Skidegate Haida language, have long been an important cultural symbol to the Indigenous community of Haida Gwaii, an archipelago 450 miles northwest of Vancouver inhabited by the Haida people for more than 10,000 years. Haida treasure northern abalone for its delicate taste, iridescent shell, and the memories the mollusk stirs for locals who grew up collecting it along the shore’s intertidal zones.

But after generations of effective local stewardship practices, the species collapsed in Haida Gwaii in the late 1980s because of heavy commercial overfishing. Even after the Canadian government banned fishing of the species nationwide in 1990, poaching continued, leading fisheries officials to declare it “threatened” in 2000 and “endangered” in 2009.

Over recent years though, monitoring efforts have revealed promising signs of abalone recovery near Haida Gwaii. This prompted Daniel Okamoto, an assistant professor of global change biology at the University of California, Berkeley, to organize a summit called “People Working Together to Take Care of Abalone.” Okamoto is also a 2022 Pew marine fellow.

During the two-day summit, the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) and representatives from Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area, and Haida Heritage Site hosted researchers, government staff, and others to share Indigenous knowledge and perspectives, Western research findings, and creative ideas for managing abalone sustainably.

Indigenous perspectives at the forefront

Western scientific and ecosystem management systems often lack frameworks to effectively integrate Indigenous knowledge and stewardship. That gap can hinder policymakers’ ability to assess how their decisions affect people—for example, through access to the plants and animals some communities eat and the sociocultural ties to those species. To address these limitations, Okamoto and his collaborators are encouraging inclusive processes led by Indigenous people.

The Pew Charitable Trusts

Throughout the summit, Okamoto and his collaborators ensured that experiences and perspectives from the Haida were central to the conversation. As participants entered the room, which is designed to resemble a traditional Haida-style dugout longhouse, they were welcomed by local leaders who further contextualized the significance of abalone to Haida Gwaii. Summit co-leader and CHN biologist, Gwiisihlgaa Dan McNeill emphasized the importance of weaving together traditional perspectives and Western science, explaining that, like a braid, these components strengthen collective understanding when integrated.

An ecological conundrum

Northern abalone play a fascinating role in the northeast Pacific Ocean ecosystem. For thousands of years, sea otters in coastal areas preyed on shellfish, such as urchins and abalone, keeping abundance of those species relatively low. But in the 18th and 19th centuries, maritime fur traders hunted otters to near extinction, allowing abalone abundance to soar. These relatively large abalone populations persisted into the late 20th century, when commercial exploitation resulted in the closure of the fishery.

Today, effective and equitable management of coastal resources in the region involves balancing complex and sometimes competing interests. Otter recovery is a priority for Canadian authorities because otters prey on urchins that, when left unchecked, decimate kelp forests and leave huge marine areas barren. But for the people of Haida Gwaii, otter recovery raises a question with no easy answers—one that weighs the return of a balanced ecosystem and increased kelp cover against the direct predation of abalone by these recolonizing marine mammals.

To help inform coastal habitat and wildlife management discussions, Okamoto is modeling the feasibility of traditional abalone harvest in relation to other conservation objectives—including otter recolonization and urchin management—along with climate change projections. Okamoto cited the potential for a “management mosaic” where different locations may be prioritized for abalone harvest, kelp restoration, and otter conservation.

Kinship across the Pacific

Elim Sly Council of Haida Nation

The cultural, ceremonial, and economic significance of abalone reaches far beyond the shores of Haida Gwaii and Canada’s Pacific coast. The summit featured representatives from California’s Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of Stewarts Point Rancheria; First Nations from around British Columbia, including Nuxalk, Gitxaala, and Huu-ay-aht; Tribes from Washington state, including Lummi and Makah; and New Zealand’s University of Auckland. These speakers highlighted their perspectives and showcased local success stories, such as the implementation of abalone aquaculture.

In fact, the keynote speaker at the summit was Emma Lee, an Indigenous trawlwulway woman from Tasmania, Australia. Lee is a 2023 Pew marine fellow whose fellowship project focuses on empowering Aboriginal inclusion and leadership in ocean research and stewardship. In her remarks, Lee shared her story about abalone, Indigenous authority, and the process of mending relationships between Indigenous communities and management bodies in Tasmania.

The Haida people will take it from here

The summit concluded on a note of optimism, momentum, and energy for organizers and attendees alike. Lynn Lee, a marine ecologist and Haida Gwaii resident, said, “This was the most positive conversation [she] could remember between locals and the Canadian authorities.” Okamoto added that, “CHN inviting the Canadian fisheries regulators was a symbol of goodwill.”

In the year ahead, CHN will use the knowledge gathered to develop a precursor management plan for the sustainable cultural use of Haida Gwaii abalone. Collaborators, including Okamoto and his team, will continue providing technical and research support, but CHN’s decisions will be made by, and for, the people of Haida Gwaii. CHN President Gaagwiis Jason Alsop left those in the room with a simple yet powerful reminder that attendees should be proud for taking these first steps in working toward a lasting solution.

Justin Shapiro is an associate and Nate Fedrizzi is an officer with the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation.