Northern abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) populations have declined in British Columbia, despite complete closure of the fishery since 1990 for conservation purposes. A survey was conducted to provide an estimate of population numbers of emergent abalone in areas known to have abalone present in southeast Barkley Sound. The objectives of the study were to estimate densities, size frequencies, and population numbers.

Index site surveys have been performed since 1978 to monitor abalone populations in British Columbia. This paper presents the results of the index sites survey in the south-east Queen Charlotte Islands in April 2002. Survey methods are described and findings from sampling at 68 historic index sites are presented & discussed with regard to numbers of abalone, mean shell length, density, and percent of sites with abalone. The abalone density estimates are compared with those measured in previous surveys.