Not everything is a conspiracy.
“California has extended the ban on recreational red abalone harvesting in Northern California until April 1, 2036, due to environmental collapse of kelp forests from exploding purple sea urchin populations (due to sea star die-offs) and low abalone densities, preventing successful reproduction, “
“Kelp Forest Collapse: A marine heatwave and sea star wasting disease decimated sunflower sea stars (urchin predators), causing purple urchin populations to explode and devour essential kelp forests.
Low Abalone Density: The lack of kelp, their food, and low densities (due to past overfishing and environmental stress) prevent abalone from finding mates and reproducing effectively.
Environmental Stressors: Marine heatwaves (2014-2016) and El Niño events further stressed populations. “
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/why-seafood-delicacy-banned-harvest-172019212.html
So El Nino and a virus wipe out the main predator of urchins who can eat multiple times their body weight per day in kelp. Those urchins strip mine the kelp forests that the abalone need to eat too and cause a population collapse. Not some big government conspiracy just environmental factors and it’s recreational harvest that’s closed so sport divers big woop in the long run. 2036 is only ten years after the next population report is due that’s why it is 2036 not 2035.
Commercial Ban: Commercial abalone fishing ended in the late 1990s (around 1997) for most species due to overharvesting.
All commercial supply is via aquaculture production which is also being used to restock the wild kelp beds that still survive.
I was stationed in San Diego would go North to Monterey Bay to fish and dive in the 90s all the time, even back then there was not abalone all over like the old salt Marines would tell us about. It’s little wonder the commercial abalone harvest was stopped in the late 90s.
Uni consumption should be encouraged.