Here's Why American Eel Is More Accessible Than Ever

Here's Why American Eel Is More Accessible Than Ever

American Unagi is making high-quality eel more accessible.Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina DaleyEach spring, fishermen set nets in Maine’s rivers to fish for the state’s most valuable catch. No, not the iconic lobster, but tiny glass eels that fetch wholesale prices topping $2,000 per pound. Those baby eels, each two to three inches long, aren’t destined for dinner yet. Instead, they’re bought by aquacultu…

American Unagi Is Making Eel More Accessible Than Ever

Each spring, fishermen set nets in Maine’s rivers to fish for the state’s most valuable catch. No, not the iconic lobster, but tiny glass eels that fetch wholesale prices topping $2,000 per pound. Those baby eels, each two to three inches long, aren’t destined for dinner yet. Instead, they’re bought by aquaculture farms in Asia and grown to maturity in tanks; each pound of glass eels yields about 1,250 pounds of adult eels. Those adult eels are …