Abalone

The California State Marine Mollusk, the red abalone, is a large marine mollusk part of the class Gastropoda (latin for “stomach foot”). They cling tightly to rocks using a strong foot and sense their surroundings with tentacles. Abalone was once a thriving and popular fishery, but today they have had a drastic decrease in population. The California Fish and Wildlife Commission has closed the commercial and recreational fishery to allow the population to reach a stable rate.