The Pinto (or Northern) abalone is the smallest of the abalones. It occurs on shallow rocky substrate (shallow intertidal to 50 ft.) and feeds on algae. Commercial harvest and poaching have reduced populations in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia. Washington state never permitted commercial harvest of this species and close recreational harvest on August 1, 1994. In British Columbia, Aboriginal, Recreational, and Commercial harvest of this species was closed in 1990. Despite fisheries closure, stock levels have failed to recover in British Columbia and Washington state. There is concern that recovery failure has been due to continued illegal harvest and abalone occurrence at densities that preclude successful spawning. This mollusk is currently a candidate for listing in Washington state and is listed as threatened by the Canadian Committee for the Status of Endangered Wildlife. The US Federal government lists the Pinto abalone as a Species of Concern, but has not yet initiated a status review.