Cleaning Abalone and Then Traveling to Campsite

August 16, 2012

Question: We love to camp at the Gerstle Cove Woodside Campground and eat abalone for dinner. Can we legally clean the abalone at the fish cleaning facility and then drive a mile back up to the campsite to cook them? I am sure the rangers would prefer the abalone guts to be at the cleaning station rather than to be put into the trash cans at the campsite to rot. However, it means driving a mile to the campsite in possession of abalone that are out of the shell. I am afraid the campground workers will not enjoy your answer. (Anonymous)

Answer: Abalone cannot be transported out of the shell. According to DFG Game Warden Tiffany Stinson, abalone should be cleaned at the campsite where they will be consumed. Place the trimmings and guts in a bag to throw away later. If you are stopped in transit with abalone removed from the shell, it will be a violation. The regulations state: “Abalone Possession and Transportation: Abalones shall not be removed from their shell, except when being prepared for immediate consumption” (CCR Title 14, section 29.15(g).