GARDINER — The Maine Marine Patrol arrested Dana Wayne-Holmes, 61, of Gardiner, Saturday, April 2, for illegal possession of elvers. Illegal possession of elvers is a criminal offense and is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Holmes was arrested in Waldoboro after an investigation by the Marine Patrol alleged that he was attempting to purchase and sell elvers without a license. Holmes held an elver dealer license in 2015, however, he does not hold a current dealers license.

Also charged in the investigation was licensed harvester Irving Banks, 47 of Jefferson. Banks was charged with exceeding his individual elver quota, also a Class D crime punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

In addition to fines and jail time, Banks faces possible one-year administrative suspension of his current license while Holmes faces possible one-year suspension of his right to obtain a dealer license in the future.

"It is a privilege to have an elver license in Maine," said the Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner, in a news release. "This is one of the most lucrative fisheries we have and one that has required a great deal of work by the Maine DMR and law abiding members of the industry to sustain and manage. I will use the full extent of my authority to investigate and bring to justice anyone who violates laws that help us protect this valuable fishery."

The Marine Patrol investigation involved eight Marine Patrol Officers including Lieutenant Jay Carroll, Sergeant Russell Wright, Sergeant Rob Beal, Sergeant Matt Talbot, Specialist Matt Sinclair, Officer Brian Brodie, Officer Jon Luellen, and Officer Chris Hilton. The Marine Patrol seized 13 and a half pounds of elvers from Holmes worth an estimated value of more than $18,000 based on per pound value at the time of the violation.