Maine Seafood Guide – Eel
Eel
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Species Description
American eel Anguilla rostrata
also known as elver, glass eel, unagi
Wild and farm-raised (outside of Maine) from wild-caught juveniles.
American eel is a catadromous fish, which means it spends most of its life in freshwater and migrates to the ocean to reproduce. Sexually immature adult “yellow” eels live in lakes and rivers and, after anywhere from three to twenty years, migrate downstream in fall as “silver” eels to the North Atlantic to spawn. The adults die, and the juveniles, known as glass eels or elvers, find their way into rivers along the Atlantic coast. Elvers are shipped overseas, primarily to Asia, where they are raised in aquaculture ponds into adults to be sold live, fresh, and frozen.
Season
There are three distinct fisheries for eels in Maine which relate to three different life stages: A spring (March-May) glass eel/elver fishery; a year-round yellow eel fishery; and a fall (September-November) silver eel fishery.
Status
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission marked the American eel population as depleted.
Regulatory Authority
Jointly managed by the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Harvest Method
Elvers are caught in tidal streams with hand-held dip nets or fyke nets, funnel-shaped nets of fine mesh placed along shore and facing downstream. Yellow eels are caught with fyke nets and eel pots. Silver eels are trapped with weirs across streams, rivers, and lake outlets. See the vessel and gear guide for more information.
Recreational Harvest
A person may take for personal use up to 25 eels (minimum size nine inches) per day from the coastal waters of the state by spear gun, harpoon, trap, or hook and line.
Health Benefits & Risks
Eel is higher in fat and calories but lower in omega-3 fatty acids than other seafood choices. Eel is high in vitamin A.
Average mercury levels in American eel have not been established. Eels fall about in the middle of the food chain, and the relative concentrations of mercury and other potentially toxic chemicals will reflect the conditions of where an eel was raised or caught.
View the 2021 US Food and Drug Administration’s fish consumption guidelines.
Buying & Preparing
While eels are found in Maine waters, most eel served in restaurants is imported fresh or frozen from China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, or Portugal. In sushi restaurants, eel is typically served as unagi (freshwater eel) or anago (saltwater eel), often grilled with a sweet soy-based glaze.
Eel is rarely sold fresh locally but may be available frozen or smoked at specialty seafood shops. Look for firm, glossy fillets or pre-cooked preparations.
Eel has a rich, oily texture and can be grilled, fried, smoked, or baked. Traditional preparations include eel chowder in New England, smoked eel served cold or on toast, and jellied eel in historic European cuisine.