Question: I saw an abalone pearl for sale on Craig's List. Is this legal? I always thought no part of the abalone may be bought, sold, traded or bartered when taken under a California sport fishing license. What does the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and California law say regarding abalone pearls? My understanding is the pearl is not part of the mollusk but instead a foreign object that got stuck in the gonad or between the shell and the meat. Any help would be much appreciated. (Matt M.)

Answer:
You are correct. Unless the abalone was taken by licensed California commercial divers prior to the 1997 commercial abalone fishing ban, or purchased from a commercial abalone aquaculture operation, then it is a violation to sell the shell or any other part of the abalone. It is legal to import the pearls for sale if they comply with commercial fish laws regarding importation. Therefore, it would be incumbent upon the jeweler/individual offering the pearl for sale to have documentation that they obtained the pearl legally.