# Abalone-type shellfish **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 16, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639 "2004-06-16T12:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/1 "2004-06-16T12:56:03Z")
A SCUBA related thread in IMHO mentioned abalone. As I said there, I love abalone; but I haven’t had any since I was a teen. When I lived in SoCal I’d often see cans of “abalone-type shellfish”. I never bought any because I want _real_ abalone! But what is “abalone-type shellfish”? The product in question is in a red can and is imprinted in English on one side and Spanish on the other. I don’t remember the brand name. ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/2 "2004-06-16T13:14:05Z")
Was the brand name [Roland](http://www.rolandfood.com/products/?sku=82038&details=on&cat_id=8)? In this case, the abalone-type shellfish is limpet. Since [abalones have one-piece shells,](http://seafood.ucdavis.edu/pubs/abalone.htm) and [limpets do as well,](http://www.woodbridge.tased.edu.au/mdc/Species%20Register/limpets.htm) maybe some sort of comparison based on appearance is at work here. I haven’t tasted either one, so I don’t know how similar they might be on that score (although I suspect if it were that close in taste, limpets would be more expensive). ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/3 "2004-06-16T13:18:47Z")
It could be [this](http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia1634.html) , the FDA stopped importing in 1987. Interesting… I’m emailing you with a vague description of where we were in WA when I got the Abalone shell. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/4 "2004-06-16T13:34:50Z")
Thanks, **Phlosphr**. It looks like it’s Concholepas concholepas. **sunfish** : It wasn’t Roland. But a google search turns up a few different brands, so I guess I don’t have to look for the red tin. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/5 "2004-06-16T16:20:04Z")
The last time I had an abalone dineer (in Marina Del rey, California), it was about $35.00 for a VERY small portion of abalone. People who lived in California in the 1960’s tell me it was cheap and easy to find back then…why is it so expensive these days? Can abalone be farmed? ---
**Author:** ![jsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@jsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsmith)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/6 "2004-06-16T16:44:24Z")
QUOTE]Can abalone be farmed? [/QUOTE] Funny you ask that. I was researching that this morning. I am an avid abalone “hunter” and I am getting ready to go in a few weeks. Here is a link. [http://www.abalonefarm.com](http://www.abalonefarm.com) I can’t believe 1 pound steak of abalone is $105! ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2004, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abalone-type-shellfish/250639/7 "2004-06-16T17:15:00Z")
The LA Times has an article today on The Abalone Farm, and abalone in general (coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidence! :dubious: ) > **[Shimmering comeback](https://www.latimes.com/style/la-fo-abalone16jun16-story.html)** > > Innovative fisheries are reviving California's treasure, the incomparable abalone. Evidently they used to be as plentiful as mussles, there for the taking on the rocks all up and down the coast of California. They were taken to almost extinction level, and now are subject to very stringent regulations and limits (no commercial fishing for them, can be taken by free-divers only, etc.). But, according to the article, farmed abalone are making inroads!