Maine is closing the door on applications for a valuable baby eel fishing permit.
Baby eels, called elvers, are harvested in Maine’s rivers and streams. They’re often worth more than $2,000 per pound to fishermen because of how valuable they are to Asian aquaculture companies.
The state plans to give out nine elver fishing permits this year via a lottery that is scheduled to take place around the end of the month. Maine’s taking applications for a place in the lottery until 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Elver fishing is subject to a strict quota system. The state also caps the total number of elver licenses in the state at 425.