Maine License Lottery Is Open For Profitable Elver Fishery

A lottery is now open for the right to apply for one of the most valuable Maine fishing licenses.

Maine Elvers are Tiny Transparent Eels

Sometimes, the smallest things are worth the most. Take elvers, for example.

If you're not familiar with these tiny little eels, they're transparent, like glass, when they're young. Actually, elvers are also called glass eels. They will turn brown, however, as they age.

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In Maine, elvers are caught with nets as they return to rivers from their ocean spawning areas.

Maine Elvers are Worth a Lot of Money Overseas

Small, yes, but they're also one of the state's most valuable exports. The Department of Marine Resources says elvers were sold in 2019 for over $2,000 a pound.

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Why are they so valuable? Because those tiny little glass eels are considered a delicacy in Japan, China, and Korea, once they've been cultured and reared to adulthood.

Maine License Lottery for Elver Fishery is Underway

Anyone interested in getting involved in the elver fishery has until 4:30 pm on February 20, 2026, to enter the license lottery and earn the right to apply for an elver license.

Applicants must be at least 15 years old by the start of the 2026 season and be eligible to purchase an elver license because that right has not been revoked.

Winners will be able to apply for a license before the upcoming season, which runs from noon on March 22, 2026, to noon on June 7, 2026.

In all, there are 425 state-issued licenses allowed in Maine, but only 20 are up for grabs this year. The other 405 are held by residents who've renewed them from past years.