Tag Archives: The elver fishery
Passamaquoddy tribe working to lift individual elver quotas
BANGOR, Maine — Members of the Passamaquoddy tribe are submitting emergency legislation that seeks to lift individual fishing quotas for elvers. Read more here 16:30
Maine’s new elver rules will delay season start until April
Jeff Nichols, spokesman for Maine Department of Marine Resources, said Tuesday that because of the time needed to work out the logistics of the new measures, the season is not expected to start until April 5. Read more here 16:36
Maine’s Elver Season Could be Delayed
Commissioner Patrick Keliher said today that’s there is a “50-50” chance the start of the season on March 22 will be pushed back. Read more here 16:27 mpbn
Panel endorses changes to tribal elver bill, deal ‘pretty much gone,’ says tribe
AUGUSTA, Maine — Changes that a legislative panel made Wednesday to a tentative agreement, state fisheries officials had made with the Passamaquoddy Tribe over elver fishing mean that the agreement is “pretty much gone,” according to a tribal official. Read more@BDN 09:15
With elver season at risk, Maine moves closer to deal with Indian tribes
The state and Maine’s Indian tribes are approaching a deal that would effectively allocate part of the lucrative elver fishery to the tribes, defusing tension that arose last year but creating separate regulations for tribal and non-tribal fishermen. Read more@portlandpress 09:50
“Emergency” bill proposed by Deer Isle legislator would require state fishery officials to approve each individual tribal elver license in writing
The legislator who sponsored the bill, Walter Kumiega, a Democrat from Deer Isle, said the proposal is aimed at preventing a repeat of the 2013 elver season, during which DMR and the Passamaquoddy Tribe got into a heated dispute over the validity of licenses issued by the tribe. Read more@bdn 07:25
Maine tribes clash with state over elver license bill – tribal fishermen would be forced to get state licenses or face possible prosecution.
State regulators are pushing for a limit on tribal claims to Maine’s lucrative elver fishery to avoid a repeat of the 2013 season, when law enforcement clashed with Passamaquoddy fishermen on the banks of the Pennamaquan River. Read more@portlandpress 13:18
Maine says it must curtail the elver harvest because of declining population, but fishermen say their livelihood is being interfered with.
Industry officials supported quotas based on historical catch during the first public hearing hosted by state regulators this week in Augusta. Another hearing will be held Jan. 2 in Brewer. “We’re being led down the road by bad science. It’s a data-poor species, so the scientists would rather err on the side of caution. That’s because they get paid and we don’t. They get a check every week. We only get paid if we catch something,” said Jeffrey Pierce, executive director of the Maine Elver Fishermen’s Association. more@portlandpress 17:28
Maine agrees to reduce lucrative elver landings
Federal regulators have agreed to delay taking action on possible new management rules for the American eel fishery more@BDN 20:49
District attorney says he may dismiss charges against Passamaquoddy elver fishermen
There are more than 30 criminal cases pending statewide against members of the tribe, which has been involved in a dispute with the Maine Department of Marine Resources over how many elver licenses it should issue to its members. All of the Passamaquoddys charged had been issued licenses this spring by the tribe. The department later declared the licenses invalid. continued@bdn
Passamaquoddys reduce elver licenses by over 100, seek appeal to federal regulators
ELLSWORTH, Maine — Representatives of the Passamaquoddy Tribe say they plan to go around state fisheries officials and appeal directly to federal regulators about the tribe’s elver management plan. continued
Fishing regulators to hold hearing on elvers today
AUGUSTA — Maine elver fishermen are being given a chance to comment on a proposed range of new regulations for the American eel fishery. continued
Penalties increased for illegal harvesting of Maine elvers
State Sen. Christopher Johnson, D-Somerville, said L.D. 632, which became law Tuesday, criminalizes all aspects of illegal fishing in what has become a very lucrative industry. Each violation carries a fine of as much as $2,000 and constitutes a Class D crime. Repeat offenders can be arrested. continued
Eel fishery hearings in Maine rescheduled
(AP) – The ASMFC is holding hearings from Maine to Georgia that kick off Monday in New Hampshire. The proposed regulations are the result of a stock assessment that concluded the eel population is technically depleted. continued
Elver eel fishery boom generates memories of 1990s urchin bust
Elvers, the spaghetti-thin transparent juvenile American eels, may be the most sought-after commercial marine species in Maine right now, but they are not the first to rocket to prominence due to demand in the Far East. continued
State of Maine should respect history when setting elver fishing rules
The Passamaquoddy were recently accused of putting glass eels in danger through their harvesting practices. In 2012, the Passamaquoddy harvested a total of 800 pounds of the state total of 19,000 pounds…Passamaquoddy practices are based in conservation. They limit the total harvest, but, by issuing many licenses, more Passamaquoddy people can benefit from the fishery. continued
Eel hearings to be held in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Maine — Three Maine hearings on interstate management measures for the American eel have been consolidated into one. continued
Greedy and gangs attracted to Maine’s lucrative elver fishery – video
“Quite often there is [an attitude] that [getting caught] is just a cost of doing business for these guys,” Chasse said. “Last year I wrote a guy four different summons, four different violations in one morning. … He had roughly $4,500 in fines, right there. I wrote him the four summons and I said, ‘Is it safe to assume that you’re still ahead in this game?’ He just looked at me and smiled.” continued
Getting HOT! Passamaquoddies say governor made threats over elvers – to shut down the entire fishery, allegedly threatened to call in the National Guard!
Gov. Paul LePage threatened retaliation against Maine’s Passamaquoddy Tribe if it continues to issue elver-fishing licenses beyond the authorized state limit, a tribal council spokesman said Monday. continued
The Flame Get’s Higher – Sovereignty battle brewing over elver eel dispute between Passamaquoddy, Maine state government
ELLSWORTH, Maine — Passamaquoddy leaders are decrying what one official called an “extreme show of force” by Marine Patrol, which last night confiscated three elver nets from tribal members at the Pennamaquan River. continued
Passamaquoddys: Catch quota better way to protect elvers than fishing license limit. Catch capped at 3600 lbs – video
CALAIS, Maine — Imposing a catch limit is a better way of protecting the the state’s elver population than limiting the number of licenses .Tribal representatives said that limiting the catch to 3,600 pounds and allowing fishermen to use just one net was a better way to manage the resource than issuing a set number of licenses to tribal members. State invalidating all but 150 of the 575 licenses issued by the Passamaquoddy tribe. Any tribal license numbered 151 or higher will be considered void by Maine Marine Patrol, he said. continued
2012 Maine elver season netted nearly $38 million, second only to lobster in fishery value
Compared to 2010, it’s even more staggering. That year, the fishery generated only $584,000 in revenue for licensed fishermen — one sixty-fifth of its value in 2012. The elver fishery now ranks behind only lobster in Maine for overall fishery value. Read more
