Happy Problem - Elver Prices Tank This Year!!

[Roccus7]

I think it's time for Maine to step up and have a minimum size on eels, just as we do here in New York. I'm not buying into their value as a "seed." They like eating them alive.

They're taking millions of eels out of our fragile ecosystem. Follow NY's lead and eliminate it.

George:

Dining on the elvers when alive became passé a few years ago when the price started to exceed $100/lb, these all go to aquaculture.

I got a trade for you, try to convince NY to shut down all striper fishing on the Hudson above the GW bridge and I'll become an advocate for Maine shutting down the elver fishery. I'm thinking they both have two chances of happening, slim and none...

 

[george]

George:

Dining on the elvers when alive became passé a few years ago when the price started to exceed $100/lb, these all go to aquaculture.

I got a trade for you, try to convince NY to shut down all striper fishing on the Hudson above the GW bridge and I'll become an advocate for Maine shutting down the elver fishery. I'm thinking they both have two chances of happening, slim and none...

I've fished that Hudson many times. You couldn't find a more conservation-minded group of anglers. You would be saving nothing. Remember, the Hudson is very healthy, it the Chesapeak that's being destroyed.

Rather than point out the commercial worth of the elvers let's call an end to it.

 

[Roccus7]

I've fished that Hudson many times. You couldn't find a more conservation-minded group of anglers. You would be saving nothing. Remember, the Hudson is very healthy, it the Chesapeak that's being destroyed.

Rather than point out the commercial worth of the elvers let's call an end to it.

Well, just like stripers, eels are managed by ASMFC and we can debate for months as to their efficacy in that role for just about any species...

From the ASMFC Eel web page:

In 2018, Addendum IV provisions were replaced by Addendum V, which increases the yellow eel coastwide cap starting in 2019 to 916,473 pounds; adjusts the method (management trigger) to reduce total landings to the coastwide cap when the cap has been exceeded; and removes the implementation of state-by-state allocations if the management trigger is met. Lastly, the Addendum maintains Maine’s glass eel quota of 9,688 pounds. Under Addendum V, management action will now be initiated if the yellow eel coastwide cap is exceeded by 10% in two consecutive years. If the management trigger is exceeded, only those states accounting for more than 1% of the total yellow eel landings will be responsible for adjusting their measures.

Addendum V also continued the allowance of a glass eel aquaculture plans, in which a state may request to harvest up to 200 pounds of glass eel from their state waters for use in domestic aquaculture activities. Currently Maine and North Carolina are the only states that have requested and been approved to implement glass aquaculture programs for the 2020 fishing season.