Final elver tally: $38M
Elvers, small translucent eels, were confirmed as Maine's second most lucrative fishery in 2012, generating $38 million in revenue.
The Bangor Daily News reported the state's Department of Marine Resources on Thursday released the final elver figures alongside the totals for Maine's top fishery, lobsters.
Despite having the lowest prices in nearly 20 years, the lobster catch for 2012 broke revenue and volume totals, bringing in $339 million for over 126 million pounds caught.
While officials projected late last year that the elver catch would surpass $40 million, the $38 million total still marks a significant climb for the fishery that in 2010 generated only $584,000.
The increase in prices in 2012 – hitting around $2,600 per pound by the season's end – was driven largely by increased demand in Asia, especially in Japan where an earlier tsunami took out many of the region's fishing fleets.
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