AUGUSTA — On the strength of an historic year for lobster and a rebounding elver fishery, the value of Maine’s commercially harvested marine resources in 2021 reached an all time high at $890,668,873.

According to data from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, the overall value earned by harvesters in 2021 increased by $365 million and exceeded the previous overall record of $733,691,455, set in 2016, by $150 million.

All but two fisheries with reportable landings saw an increase in the per pound value in 2021 when compared to 2020.

The biggest increase paid to harvesters was in the elver fishery, which saw an increase of $1,306 per pound, from $525 per pound in 2020 to $1,831 per pound in 2021.

Lobster was again the most valuable commercial fishery at $730,596,022 in landed value in 2021 on the strength of a per pound price of $6.71 at the dock.

Lobster harvesters earned $2.50 per pound more in 2021 than in 2020. The most recent reported total was an increase from February’s report due to on-going audits of landings reports.

For the second year in a row, soft shell clams were the second most valuable species, with harvesters pocketing more than $25 million.

Maine elver harvesters earned $16,681,103, placing Maine’s elver fishery as the third most valuable in 2021.

Maine-grown oysters were the fourth most valuable harvested product at over $10 million on the strength of a twelve cent per pound jump in value.

Despite a decline in landings of nearly 5 million pounds from the previous year, Menhaden, a popular bait for Maine’s lobster industry, earned harvesters $9.5 million, the result of a 65 percent increase in per pound value. The overall value ranked Menhaden the fifth most valuable fishery in 2021.

A 51 percent increase in per pound value compared to 2020 placed Maine scallops as the sixth most valuable Maine fishery in 2021. Harvesters earned a total of $8.3 million, a jump of more than $1.3 million over the previous year.

“The consistent increase in per pound value is a reflection of strong demand for the products harvested here in Maine’s coastal waters,” said Patrick Keliher, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.  “This industry has once again proven that dedication to quality pays off, and that the best seafood in the world comes from Maine.”

To locate a dealer selling Seafood from Maine, visit www.seafoodfrommaine.com  

Reports for all species can be found at https://www.maine.gov/dmr/commercial-fishing/landings/index.html