It is reported that abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, was detached from shelters by commercial oxytetracycline (OTC) dissolved in hydrochloric acid (HCl). In the present study, we investigated the exfoliation effect of fouling abalone by organic acids instead of OTC or HCl. Organic acids (malic acid, citric acid, lactic acid and formic acid) of pH 2.6 and pH 2.1-2.3 exfoliated over 67.6% and 91.7% of abalone, respectively; while OTC of pH 2.6 and pH 2.1-2.3 exfoliated 25.9% and over 74.1% of abalone, respectively. These results indicate that the exfoliation effect of organic acid is better than that of OTC dissolved in HCl at the same pH. However, a lower pH and longer treatment of organic acids resulted in delayed recovery of the detached abalone; abalone immersed in pH 2.3 for 10 second was recovered within 5 min, but took 12 min to recover after 30 second immersion. Moreover, recovery period for abalone exposed to pH 2.1 for 30 second was at least 15 min 45 second. In conclusion, though acids need to be cautiously handled, organic acids may be a better candidate to detach abalone instead of OTC or HCl.