This Maine fishery makes the eel trade more sustainable

The global eel trade is inhumane, corrupt and an environmental disaster. Maine-based American Unagi gives chefs a carbon-free, local eel option. The days when slimy eels were little more than chum for fishing are long gone. Mostly known by its Japanese name “unagi,” those same eels are now a global phenomenon — and an environmental disaster.   While the global love affair with unagi has caused consumption to surge, meeting the insatiable demand has caused the global supply to plunge. Overfishing now means there is a flourishing illegal trade where eels…