Sunday, February 4, 2018

"Can I please have a look at your abalone"..



I don't think I've ever asked a man emerging from the ocean that question before and I'm surprised at how many were happy to show me :) On Sorrento beach early yesterday morning to take photos for the first time of the recreational abalone fishing that occurs only four times a year for exactly one hour each time.. from 7am to 8am. The hunt for Abalone, a marine sea snail, a apparently highly tasty morsel, the mother-of-pearl shells used for decoration is hugely popular with Perth's Asian community.. 


Regulations re size, numbers and current license is incredibly strict, there were inspectors waiting on the beach to examine random catches.. it would have been impossible to check all but the possibility of you being the one hopefully keeps everyone honest. That's the supposedly delectable little suckers below, not the most attractive creatures but cooked this way who knows :) Below that's about the size of most of the bags coming out at the end of the hour, maybe a one family meal size. There was much talking, laughing etc so a successful endeavour all round although for the abalone not so much :) Happy Sunday, take care and stay safe.. P.s. Check out that sky.. it was like an ever changing masterpiece!


27 comments:

  1. That's the first time I've heard of that kind of critter. Beautiful skies, and it looks like a good number of people were interested in going for them.

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  2. ...the first images is magical.

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  3. First of all, your photos are tres magnifique! The colors wow! Re abalone: I think I'll stick to hamburgers at the Hungry Bear! :) Nah, I wouldn't do that but these abalones don't look very appetizing. I've never seen people hunting for them. I wonder if we have them on our shores; I'm gonna have to check that out!

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  4. What a fun day for everyone, had never heard of an abalone, but I understand it is kind of mossel in a big shell with maybe a pearl in it! :)

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  5. How interesting, Grace !
    Today I learned something new.

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  6. I learned something new too.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  7. I’ve never seen abalone before. Such an interesting post. Great photos, PDP. Thank you for sharing.

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  8. I have seen the pretty shells before but never really thought about what used to live in it...neat event!

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  9. I have seen them for sale but never really knew what they were!! Thanks for the info. Hope you stop coughing very soon Diane

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  10. It is good that they control the hunt so well but what stops people from going out at other times of the year?

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  11. I never heard of this before either. Thank you for sharing the info. Your first image is awesome with the partial dark sky, low clouds and the colours of the people's clothes. The colours really pop.

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  12. Very interesting. While I like oysters and mussels, I am not sure that I would try abalone. I think abalone fishing has been completely banned here.

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  13. Never tried it, but in Chatswood (Sydney) a suburb with a big Asian community I saw a shop that just sold abalone in various forms -dried, pickled, etc.

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  14. That sky is amazing!
    I'm surprised at where your abalone are; in California I only saw it along a rocky shoreline. Abalone is delicious, properly prepared. It's not available commercially that I know of. I'm not even sure if it's open for any kind of fishing anymore. It used to be more common.

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  15. Beautiful skies indeed, Grace! I´ve never heard of abalones, but I sure feel sorry for them ;-)
    I´d prefer a burger at Grill`d, though!

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  16. P.S. I certainly looked the word up. I mean, who knows what you ask a man for to see, right? ;-)
    In German abalone is also called sea- or ocean-ear. Did they listen, I wonder?

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  17. I looks like that event draws quite a crowd. It must be considered a delicacy.

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  18. Of course you had my attention with your title, and thanks for the link because they are new to me. So interesting and the photos really tell the story as well. That sky is so lovely too.

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  19. I love the restrictions which clearly indicates environmental concerns. The photos indicate a high level of interest, too.

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  20. First image is gorgeous! Arianna

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  21. I have a stickpin made from an abalone shell. Didn't know they were something one could eat!

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  22. Oh ... Abalone !!
    It's a good place, I think so.
    ... I am hungry ... :)

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