Just when the market for baby eels is booming in the U.S., there is a possibility that American eels will be listed under the Endangered Species Act by the end of this month, which would restrict fishermen from catching them, the Detroit News reports.
The Center for Environmental Science, Accuracy & Reliability (CESAR) in Fresno, Calif. issued a petition for federal authorities to include the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) on its list of endangered species, claiming the eels have lost 80 percent of their natural habitat. The environmental advocacy group also said commercial fishing has put pressure on the eels' population and caused it to decline "catastrophically."
CESAR science adviser Rob Roy Ramey said the American eel population is in a "dramatic decline with very little regulatory oversight."
However, some fishermen are hoping the eel does not get listed as an endangered species. Darrell Young, co-director for the Maine Elver Fisherman's Association, said those who oppose American eel fishing incorrectly assumed that the eels declined in number this year because fishermen did not reach their quota.
Young explained they did not reach their quota because the spring fishing season was made short by the cold weather. "After the season closed this year, there were plenty of eels running up the brooks," he said.
Fisheries in Maine, Maryland, Delaware, South Carolina and Virginia have found a good market for the American eel. The price of baby eels, called elvers, has skyrocketed from less than $100 per pound in 2009 to to $2,100 per pound this year. Maine fisheries are the main suppliers of elvers on the market.
The Maine Department of Marine Resources said it will not comment on the issue until federal authorities have given a decision, according to the Detroit News.
