Elver lottery opens

HALLOWELL — The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) is now accepting applications for the Elver gear and Elver license lotteries for the 2013 elver season. Applications can be submitted online at www.maine.gov/elverlottery, or by visiting the DMR offices in Hallowell. Applications will be accepted until January 15, 2013 and the drawing will be held by February 15, 2013.

In recent years, market demand for elvers has increased dramatically resulting in historically high prices reaching as much as $2600 per pound during the 2012 season. Until the creation of this lottery, there was no new entry into this fishery, and only those who held a license in the prior calendar year were eligible to renew.

As a result of a bill passed last legislative session, DMR is now authorized to make available those licenses and pieces of gear that were not renewed in 2012. DMR expects that between three and six licenses will be available through the lottery. The final number will be determined in early January.

“Because of the extraordinary interest in this fishery, DMR made it a priority to develop an application process that is fast and efficient. An online application made the most sense to ensure that application information is entered directly into our database and applicants can rest assured knowing that their application was successfully submitted,” explained DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher.

InforME, the State of Maine’s Internet portal, developed this online service in a partnership with the Department of Marine Resources. The service was developed at no cost to Maine taxpayers, and enhances the popular suite of services available through Maine.gov.

Other online services include marine licensing renewals, the saltwater recreational fishing registry and hunting and fishing licenses. More than 1,400 online government services are now available through www.Maine.gov.

In addition to the online application, the DMR website contains a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that fully explains questions about eligibility, and other considerations that people may wish to explore before applying.