June 8, 2017 — Maine’s elver season ended Wednesday. By most accounts it was successful.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission limited Maine harvesters to a landings quota of 9,616 pounds for this year. According to the Department of Marine Resources, as of 6 p.m. Monday, Maine dealers reported buying 9,281.269 pounds of elvers and paying harvesters a total of $12,088,884 — an average price of $1,303 per pound.
The total quota is allocated among harvesters licensed by the state and the four federally recognized Indian tribes.
As of Monday evening, DMR-licensed harvesters had landed just over 7,315 pounds out of a total quota of 7,566.3 pounds.
Harvesters of the Houlton Band of Maliseet had landed about 87 pounds from their approximately 107-pound quota.
Micmac Nation harvesters landed their entire 38.8-pound quota and Penobscot Nation harvesters had landed all but one pound of their 620-pound quota.