Doring Bay Abalone, a land-based aquaculture farm, produces about 60 tonnes of Haliotis midae abalone per year. (Photo: Ashraf Hendricks) 
Abalone, commonly known as “perlemoen”, is a critically endangered species. Since the early 2000s, thousands of tonnes of abalone have been poached from South Africa’s coast. It is a highly valued delicacy in China, which primarily imports abalone from South Africa. The Doring Bay Abalone Farm started in 2013 and is partly community-owned. The farm started with just eight employees. Now it employs over 50 community members, and produces 60 tonnes of abalone each year. DM
First published by GroundUp.