Earlier this week, eight Hermanus police officers and four inspectors from the Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) agency, were ambushed by alleged abalone poachers during a raid in Hawston, South Africa.   When officials arrived on the scene, they found 50 men counting fresh abalone in the back yard.  The suspects fled. 

According to the Cape Times, while officials were loading the confiscated abalone into the vehicle, a crowd of 80 to 100 people gathered and began hurling bricks and rocks at the officials.  People in the crowd slashed the tires on the van and began shooting with live ammunition.

  Officers took cover in the home and waited for backup to arrive.   The mob blocked access to the scene, preventing backup officers from entering the area.  Law enforcement fired rubber bullets in order to disperse the angry crowd. Some in the crowd fired back with live ammunition and police returned fire with live rounds until the crowd finally dispersed.

One man, seriously injured,  was shot in the stomach and several police officers were also injured in the incident. No arrests were made. Nearly 10,000 fresh abalone were seized, worth an estimated R4-million ($500,000 US).  As the price of abalone skyrockets, this is yet another incident between officials and poachers that has resulted in violence.

Haliotis midae
There are several species of abalone endemic to South Africa but only one is commercially harvested, Haliotis midae.  Also known as perlemoen, Haliotis midae is the largest species and the most sought after. Most of the legal abalone, 95 percent, is exported. Abalone is considered a delicacy in some parts of Asia and is also sold as an aphrodisiac.  The shells are often sold as platters, soap holders and ashtrays.

Illegal Poaching
Illegal poachers are severely depleting the abalone population along South Africa’s coastline.  Abalone poaching is a lucrative business for poachers and has increased 300 percent in the past few years.   In 1998, 100,000 abalone were confiscated by officials.  Three years later, 370,000 abalone were confiscated, and in 2006, more than 1 million abalone were confiscated.    In 2007, the Haliotis midae was listed on the Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Source: GO Media - Written by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway - Photo: Ivva via Flickr