Authorities cited 26 people for abalone violations Saturday at a Highway 1 checkpoint set up to coincide with a series of extremely low tides.

Most citations went to people who inaccurately recorded the number of sought-after mollusks they caught, said Lt. Steven Riske of the state Fish and Game Department.

Others were for removing abalone from the shell, which makes it impossible to measure them. Divers are not allowed to harvest abalone smaller than seven inches.

Wardens at the checkpoint at Russian Gulch, about three miles north of Jenner, screened 594 southbound vehicles, pulling over 207 for further inspection, Riske said.

In all, 682 people were questioned. In addition to the abalone violations, eight people were cited for reeling in undersized fish.

"It was a little slower than in the past, but it still kept us busy," said Riske, who called the results encouraging.

"It's a good level of compliance and it's been getting better every year," he said.

The seven-month abalone season opened April 1. This year marks the first since strict new regulations were installed to prevent overfishing.

In December, Fish and Game cut the allowed red abalone catch per day to three and the season limit to 24, down from four a day and 100 per season.

"I think because the limit has been reduced, people are really picking the days they go," said Riske, who noted that in previous years upward of 800 cars have been screened.

The season closes during July and resumes in August until the end of November.

In May, Fish and Game wardens arrested three Cloverdale men for poaching and selling abalone. The men could face three years in prison and fines of up to $10,000 if convicted.

About 95 percent of the state's abalone fishing takes place between Fort Bragg and Jenner. Since 1997, abalone sport fishing south of the Golden Gate has been banned.

Poaching remains a problem, as abalone can fetch between $50 and $100 apiece on the black market, according to law enforcement officials.