Abalone Poachers Risk Life and Jail Time to Hunt the Valuable Snail by KQED published on 2018-06-08T19:49:27Z There is a thriving black market for abalone in California, a sea snail that some people consider a delicacy. On the state's North Coast, divers will even risk drowning and jail time to poach red abalone, because each one is worth $100-200. From KZYX in Mendocino, Sheri Quinn reports. Genre News & Politics