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As Elver Season Starts, Fishermen Wait For Warm Weather

Maine's Elver fishing season starts today – technically. But the valuable baby eels don't like the cold, so fishermen today are limited to staking out their spots on Maine's rivers and streams.

Darrell Young is the founder and co-director of the Maine Elver Fisherman's Association. He's staked out his spot in Ellsworth on the Union River, but he says right now, it's snowing sideways.

“The weather dictates everything, and right now we've got two feet of snow, and it's snowing now, we'll get six inches of snow today,” Young says.

According to Young it could be two or three weeks before the water warms up enough for the elvers to be drawn in from the ocean. Meanwhile, he says Elver fishermen have claimed their spots, set their nets and are in a holding pattern.

The Elver season continues until June 7, or until fishermen meet the 9,700 pound quota. The value of elvers by the pound is often well above $1,000 – it's by far the state's most valuable fishery by pound. They're mostly shipped live to Asia, where they're raised for food.

Correction: This piece originally stated that Young was the president of the Maine Elver Fisherman's Association.

Nora is originally from the Boston area but has lived in Chicago, Michigan, New York City and at the northern tip of New York state. Nora began working in public radio at Michigan Radio in Ann Arbor and has been an on-air host, a reporter, a digital editor, a producer, and, when they let her, played records.