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Among the shellfish in the state’s marine waters is the pinto abalone, a species once found on dinner plates. The pinto abalone is the only abalone species native to the Salish Sea, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After decades of population decline due to overharvesting, it is getting some help from a group working to restore the species. That restoration effort is largely being done in Skagit County. Government agencies and organizations including the Puget Sound Restoration Fund and the Skagit Marine Resources Committee are involved with the effort. Since the restoration project began in 2009, about 7,400 hatchery-raised pinto abalone have been introduced into Skagit County waters near Fidalgo and Guemes islands, and about 3,600 in neighboring San Juan County, according to the recent project report.

San juan countyUnited statesUniversity of washingtonWestern washington universitySkagit countySan juan islandsBritish columbiaPuget soundMelissa neumanJosh boumaCaroline gibsonPaul dinnelBob sizemoreMichael ulrichSkagit marine resources committeePuget sound restoration fund