May 6, 2015 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:
Patrick Keliher, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources today announced an emergency rule to prevent overharvest of Maine’s elver fishery. The move also ensures that the actions of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point will not jeopardize the State’s compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s American Eel Plan.
Today’s emergency rule, which will take effect Friday, prevents the use of fyke nets, other than those used in the commercial fishery and subject to daily reporting requirements to monitor catch in real time. Daily landings reports are required by the State of Maine and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) most recent American Eel fishery management plan addendum.
“Fyke nets, which catch significantly more elvers than a dip net, may result in much greater unreported catch and could cause the State to exceed its total allowable catch if utilized outside the scope of the daily reporting requirement in the commercial fishery,” said Commissioner Keliher.
“The Department of Marine Resources has taken this step based on information from the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point that it has issued sustenance licenses that authorized the use of a fyke net,” said Commissioner Keliher.
“The Passamaquoddy Tribe does not have a mechanism to accurately track and report the landings of sustenance license holders to the Department and is putting this fishery at risk by using a gear that could significantly increase the take of elvers and cause the State to exceed its overall quota.
“The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point has decided to change harvest plans in the middle of the season, as the Tribe has done in previous years. Chief Fred Moore, in a conversation with Marine Patrol, has admitted that the tribe plans to ship the eels harvested by sustenance fishermen out of the country, a clear violation of Maine sustenance laws.
“Chief Moore has spelled out a plan that not only jeopardizes Maine’s compliance with ASMFC but also violates State law,” said Keliher. “Let me be clear; when elvers are valued at $2,000 per pound they are not being caught for sustenance, they are being caught and sold.
“The Department is concerned that these licenses will cause the overall state quota to be exceeded, and negatively impact the elver resource. By harvesting elvers in excess of the established quota, there is potential for unusual damage to the American eel resource.”
“The Maine Department of Marine Resources is committed to sustaining this important and valuable fishery,” said Commissioner Keliher.