Elver catch reduction system targets poachers
State officials expect to meet a requirement to reduce the total elver harvest by 35% through individual catch limits they said mostly target poachers importing eels from outside the state.
The Bangor Daily News reported officials from the state’s Department of Marine Resources believe that nearly 4,000 pounds of last year’s 18,000-pound elver harvest were due to illegally poached elvers. That’s because elver dealers reported handling 18,253 pounds of the baby eels while fishermen reported catching just around 14,000 pounds.
Officials told the newspaper that a new swipe card system and individual catch limits for elver fishermen aim to eliminate any incentive for poaching as dealers face a risk in buying from an unlicensed fisherman and fishermen stand to make more by selling their own catch rather than sharing profits with a poacher.
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