As a courtesy to the Department of Marine Resources Maine State Library is helping to inform libraries about the elver lottery so library staff can help citizens with the online lottery if they have no computer, no Internet access or need help completing the form online.

Elver is a baby eel harvested from Maine rivers and sold to Asian markets, bringing very high prices per pound in recent years.

Libraries could see an increase in computer/wi-fi use, due to the upcoming Elver Lotteries that is being implemented on November 15th running through January 15, 2013.  The only way that citizens can enter the two lotteries (fyke net and elver) is to go online or come to Hallowell in person.
This past October news article explains the elver lottery for new elver licenses -
http://tinyurl.com/news-elver

Website for the Elver Lottery ONLY - www.maine.gov/elverlottery<http://www.maine.gov/elverlottery> - will NOT be visible until Nov 15!!

Eligibility Criteria -from the Department of Marine Resources
Eligibility for the fyke net lottery
In order to be eligible for the fyke net lottery, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

1)       Have held a Maine elver license that authorized them to fish one dip net in the prior calendar year, and

2)      Be a resident of the State of Maine, OR a resident of a state that allows Maine residents to purchase an elver license and fish for elvers in that state, and

3)      Be eligible to purchase a license for the calendar year in which the lottery is held, if authorized, and not have had their license or right to obtain a license suspended.
Please be aware that if you are selected through the fyke net lottery and chose to accept the fyke net authorization, you must give up your authorization to use a dip net.
Eligibility for the elver license lottery
In order to be eligible for the elver license lottery, and individual must meet all of the following criteria:

1)      Be at least 15 years of age at the start of the elver season for the calendar year in which the lottery is held; and

2)      Be a resident of the State of Maine, OR a resident of a state that allows Maine residents to purchase and elver license and fish for elvers in that state; and

3)      Be eligible to purchase a license in the calendar year in which the lottery is held, if authorized, and not have had their right to obtain a license suspended.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine their eligibility to participate in the fyke net lottery and the license lottery.  If an applicant for either lottery is drawn, but determined to be ineligible, that drawing shall be void and the Department will draw another individual.  The application fee submitted with the ineligible application is non-refundable.

Ellen Wood
Web Coordinator/Special Projects
Maine State Library
(207) 287-5620
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www.maine.gov/msl/