As a partner holding facility in the white abalone recovery consortium (WARC), the sea center houses several cohorts of white abalone including four animals from a channel islands marine resource…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a $229,024 Cooperative Agreement under the Habitat Conservation federal grant program (CFDA 11.463) to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The purpose of the award is to support the museum's role as a partner holding facility in the White Abalone Recovery Consortium (WARC). Specifically, the funding will allow the museum to: 1) continue caring for captive white abalone populations and follow best husbandry practices, 2) collaborate with the WARC on spawning efforts, growth data tracking, and raising juvenile abalone, and 3) engage the public through interpretive programming and outreach on white abalone conservation. The award period runs from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.

As a partner holding facility in the white abalone recovery consortium (WARC), the sea center houses several cohorts of white abalone including four animals from a channel islands marine resource institute spawn in 2003. Because of previous support from NOAA, the sea center has been able to continue caring for these animals while following best practices set by the BML, participate in yearly spawnings, provide outreach in the community, and deliver interpretation and education to guests at the sea center regarding the history and conservation efforts involving white abalone. Through this previous grant, the sea center was also able to increase its participation within the program. In 2019, the sea center installed grow-out troughs for recently-settled individuals less than one-year-old. This has effectively increased the overall holding capacity of white abalone at the sea center. A grant from NOAA will allow the sea center to continue to participate in the restoration of this species. The sea center will use the supporting funds to focus on three main areas: 1) continued care for white abalone housed at the sea center while following best practices in husbandry standards set by the BML, 2) collaborate with the WARC by participating in conference calls, spawning efforts, growth data tracking, and the continued efforts of raising baby abalone in the grow-out troughs, and 3) engage the public by providing interpretation regarding the story, ecology, and conservation efforts while utilizing the sea centers white abalone displays and outreach programs.