BREWER — The Maine Department of Marine Resources is holding a final public hearing on plans to cut the lucrative glass eel catch by up to 40 percent in the new year.
Elvers, as the baby eels are known, have come under scrutiny since prices ballooned to $2,000 and more per pound. They’re caught in Maine rivers and exported to Asia.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission granted Maine’s elver industry a reprieve when it delayed taking action on new management rules — including the possibility of shutting down the fishery altogether. In exchange, state regulators agreed to reduce the catch by 25 percent to 45 percent.
About 150 people attended the first hearing last month in Augusta. The second meeting was postponed because of bad weather until Thursday in Brewer.
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