A survey was conducted during May 17-20, 2004, in Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straits to estimate the distribution and density of emergent northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana). The estimated mean density for emergent abalone of all sizes was 0.064 ± 0.022 abalone/m2 in Queen Charlotte Strait and 0.017 ± 0.014 abalone/m2 in Johnstone Strait. The mean shell length for both areas combined was 85.7 mm. This study was compared to two earlier surveys conducted in 1977 and 1986 in the same area, as well as recent surveys on other parts of the coast.

A survey was conducted during May 17-20, 2004, in Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straits to estimate the distribution and density of emergent northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana). The estimated mean density for emergent abalone of all sizes was 0.064 ± 0.022 abalone/m2 in Queen Charlotte Strait and 0.017 ± 0.014 abalone/m2 in Johnstone Strait. The mean shell length for both areas combined was 85.7 mm. This study was compared to two earlier surveys conducted in 1977 and 1986 in the same area, as well as recent surveys on other parts of the coast.

"The legal harvest of Northern Abalone, Haliotis kamtschatkana, was closed in 1990 due to population declines and subsequent conservation concerns. Northern Abalone has been monitored at index sites along the East Coast of Haida Gwaii (ECHG) and the Central Coast (CC) Regions of British Columbia by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) since 1978. In response to conservation concerns, surveys were expanded to include the West Coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI) Region in 2003, the Queen Charlotte Strait (QCS) Region in 2004, and the West Coast of Haida Gwaii (WCHG) Region in 2008. This report presents survey data collected for each of these Regions since either 2000 or the initiation of the survey and includes the results of analysis using a hurdle gamma Bayesian model to examine long-term trends in the population and distribution within each Region"--Abstract, p. iii.