Abalone

Abalone is a large marine gastropod of the genus Haliotis, found in cold coastal waters across the Pacific, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. The large foot muscle that anchors the animal to rocks is the edible portion: a firm, chewy, deeply flavoured shellfish prized across Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Californian cuisines. Fresh and live abalone commands some of the highest prices of any seafood globally. Tinned abalone from South Africa, Australia, China, and New Zealand is a more accessible format, though still expensive. Eagle Coin from China is among the most widely distributed tinned abalone brands in diaspora Chinese markets. Abalone aquaculture has partially alleviated pressure on wild populations in South Africa and Australia.