Shipping Abalone Out of State

October 15, 2009

Question: I read your answer to a recent question regarding whether trout can be shipped across state lines, and you said the answer was no. Are there similar restrictions on shipping abalone to friends in other states? Thanks. (Kelly K.)

Answer: The possession limit for abalone is three, so you may not ship more than three abalone at any time. Neither the shipper nor the recipient may possess more than the legal limit at any given time. You also may not offer for transportation by common carrier more than one bag limit at a time, and the common carrier transporting the abalone may not legally receive for transportation more than the bag limit during any interval of time (CCR Title 14, Section 29.15).

The abalone must be shipped whole, in the shell, with the tags still attached. Abalone can only be legally removed from the shell once they are being prepared for immediate consumption. Abalone may not be shipped by parcel post.

Keep in mind that to send or give abalone to an out-of-state person, you must also abide by the importation laws of the state where the abalone will be going.  Different states may have different importation regulations that prohibit or restrict such shipments. Check with the authorities of the state where you’d like to ship for their requirements before trying to do so.

What a pain in the ass it is to have to keep a whole ab,  in the shell and tagged, in the freezer...oh yeah,  three whole abs. I gave my buddy who owns a dive shop here in Redding a couple abs a few years back.  When I handed him the two snails in the shell and tagged he gave me a kinda weird look.

Here is an idea for some of you who needs to send abalone to a Friend.  Greyhound package Express. When you drop it off at a Greyhound Station, the package will arrive at the new station at the time the bus will arrive. Thus, abalone is still frozen in a cooler.  I don't think I would be trying that anytime soon though. This whole year, I only got 4.   

I take abalone home to New Orleans almost every year in a little cooler that I check in as one of my bags...I sometimes get tempted to shuck em first to save weight/space and allow me more room for other fish filets etc...

But am always too paranoid about what if TSA actually opened the cooler and actually knew the abalone regs. 

And, my Dad likes putting the shells in his garden so figure its all good.

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim