Possession and export of elvers

Elvers (baby eels) have become the most valuable fish exported from Canada. They can be sold for as much as $5,000 per kilogram. Most Canadian elvers are shipped to Asia, where it is grown to full size for consumption.

The demand from Asia, and significant declines in global elver catch, have led to the increase in value of Canadian elvers.

As of 2023, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has issued 12 elver fishing licences. Three of these licences are held by First Nations.

Issues

The high value of elvers has created challenges.

1. High levels of unauthorized harvest and trade, due to:
   • the high value of elvers
   • the large geographic area where it is harvested
   • how easy it is to conceal and transport elvers
2. Cases of violent incidents and threats of violence between authorized and unauthorized harvesters.
3. Fishery officers have been harassed and threatened.
4. There is no federal oversight or monitoring of the elver supply chain from harvest to export.

New regulations

DFO is working on regulations to create new licences for the possession and export of elvers.

Licences

Under these new regulations, you will need a licence to possess and export elvers. There will be separate licences for possession and export. Depending on your activities in the supply chain, you may need both.

Possession licence

Conditions of possession licences could include:

• where and when you can possess elvers
• how elvers must be stored at holding facilities and during transportation
• the records possession licence holders must keep about elvers in their possession
• the method and frequency for providing records and information to DFO

A possession licence would be required for:

• holding facility operators
• fish buyers or processors who physically possess elvers
• those who transport elvers that are not common carriers

You will not need a possession licence if you are:

• transporting elvers caught legally under the Fisheries Act from the river where they were caught to a holding facility
• transferring elvers to a fish rearing facility under a licence issued pursuant to section 56 of the Fishery (General) Regulations
• a common carrier that has no direct or indirect interest in the elver fishery, such as Canada Post or UPS
• a person working at an airport who handles goods for air transportation

Export licence

Conditions of export licences could include:

• a requirement to notify DFO when a container of elvers will be packaged for export
• allowing a DFO official to:
  • verify the contents of each container destined for export
  • weigh the elvers
  • add a unique identifier to the container
  • seal the container
• how export shipment containers must be prepared
• the information that the licence holder must declare to Canadian border authorities
• the records the licence holder must create and keep
• the method and frequency for providing records and information to DFO

There will be no exemptions for export licences. Current elver licence holders will need to have an export licence to export elvers outside of Canada.

Fish buyers and fish processors

Individuals or firms who buy and sell elvers within Canada are commonly referred to as fish buyers or fish processers. They may be subject to provincial regulations. However, not all jurisdictions have regulations for the harvest, purchase, sale or export of elvers.

Under the new regulations, all individuals and legal entities across Canada will be subject to the same federal licensing requirements. They would need a possession and/or export licence, depending on the scope of their planned activities.

The new regulations will have little to no impact on the provincial authority to regulate fish buying and processing.

Impact of new regulations

With the new regulations, we aim to:

• deter unauthorized elver harvest
• deter the unauthorized possession, sale and export of elvers
• reduce risk to human safety related to unauthorized harvesting, and create a more orderly fishery
• help improve the conservation of American eels and elvers
• increase confidence in the supply chain for licenced participants and their clients
• improve the transparency and predictability of the elver supply chain

The new regulations will likely result in an increased administrative burden and costs for those who wish to possess Canadian and foreign-caught elvers, and export elvers.

Expected release date

We are using an expedited process to have the new regulations in place as soon as possible.

We will open up the application portal for possession and export licences before the regulations come into effect.