[1] Sometimes two subspecies Haliotis kamtschatkana are recognized, though the World Register of Marine Species treats this species as monotypic:[3] The pinto abalone has an adult shell size of approximately 8 cm (3.1 in) but it can rarely grow as large as 15 cm (5.9 in).

The surface is covered with uneven spiral cords, often very indistinct, and strongly elevated undulations or lumps.

The shell is generally green-brown but can have white or blue coloration and has a somewhat scalloped edge.

Tentacles surrounding the foot and extending out of the shell sense food and predators.

[4] Pinto abalone are found in kelp beds and in rocky areas in the northeast Pacific Ocean, where they range from Salisbury Sound, Alaska, along the coasts of Canada and contiguous United States to Baja California, Mexico.

The fishery was closed in 1990 to all user groups but since the closure, the population decline has continued.

Population size has declined due to overharvesting, illegal harvesting, predation by recovering sea otters, and disease.

The National Marine Fisheries Service announced in November 2013 that it will conduct a status review for the pinto abalone.

The Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity filed petitions over the summer calling for a status review that could lead to added protections for the species.