Maine eel industry had one of its most successful seasons

Maine’s baby eel fishing industry is wrapping up one of the most successful seasons in its history.

Maine is the only state in the country with a significant fishery for baby eels, which are also called elvers. They’re sold to Asian aquaculture companies that raise them to maturity for use as food.

Fishermen have just about tapped out the season’s quota of about 9,300 pounds of eels, state regulators said. The eels were worth nearly $20 million at the docks, with a per pound price of $2,162, regulators said Monday.

The per-pound price was the third highest in state history and the total value was at least the fifth highest, state records show.