Click on the session more information about this session:
Click on the sponsor for all sessions sponsored by the same organization: SESSION: 173 TYPE: Regular Poster Contributed DATE/TIME: 8/12/97:12:00PM--02:00PM SPONSOR:
AbstractTITLE: COMPARING RED ABALONE POPULATIONS ON THE SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA COAST AUTHOR: Erik BURD *+
ADDRESS:+ Mathematics, Sonoma State Univeristy, 239 Richardson Drive, Mill Valley CA, 94941 EMAIL: eburd@digitalfoundry.com
ABSTRACT:
This experiment was conducted during the Fall of 1993. The objective was
to determine if the red abalone population in two coves along the Sonoma
County Coast is statistically significant. They were Stillwater Cove, a
Sonoma County Regional Park and Gerstle Cove State Reserve, part of Salt
Point State Park. The population distribution in the two coves were found
to be significantly different.
The coves are separated by three miles. Stillwater Cove is shallow and
flat, making abalone harvesting easier. Gerstle Cove State Reserve is
smaller, deeper and has more rock formations for abalone to hide.
Since 1990, the abalone population has declined rapidly, raising concern
from environmentalists and abalone divers. Abalone diving is banned
inside the Gerstle Cove State Reserve, which has prompted a proposal to
ban abalone hunting along a 12 mile long stretch of coastline that would
include Gerstle Cove and Stillwater Cove. Additional proposals have
included reducing the length of the abalone season from six months to
four months. The objective of this experiment was to help determine if
either proposal would be a good first step to help increase the abalone
population.