American Unagi Farms Eels, on Land, in Maine

Sara Rademaker, CEO and founder of American Unagi eel farm, smiles while holding an American eel (Courtesy of American Unagi.)

Eel reproduction is an enduring mystery. Aristotle theorized they spontaneously generated from mud. Sigmund Freud dissected hundreds of eels in a vain search for their reproductive organs.

Today we know this much: they swim as tiny transparent glass eels from the ocean into estuaries. They spend their adult lives in freshwater and return to sea at sexual maturity. Nobody knows exactly where in the Sargasso Sea they spawn-the adults never return. While the mystery lives on, a few farmers have cracked the code on how to grow American eels sustainably.

Founder and CEO of American Unagi, Sara Rademaker, is working to bring sustainable jobs, and delicious eels, to Maine. American Unagi is one of just a handful of American farms growing eels on a commercial scale.

"Maine is a state whose economy depends heavily on its natural resources," said Rademaker. "When thinking about the future of Maine fisheries and how to support local communities, our farm presents a unique opportunity to build even more resiliency into our local systems by creating jobs and supporting the eel fishery."

Growing Eels From Tide to Table

Growers examine mature eels at American Unagi farm in Maine (Courtesy of American Unagi.)

Most of the seafood we eat in this country is imported, which holds for the eel we love to eat in sushi and other dishes. American Unagi is working to bring Maine harvested, grown, and produced eel to American plates.

Their business model is rooted in partnerships with local glass eel harvesters. Maine is one of only two U.S. states with a glass eel fishery. Fishermen snare the 8-centimeter eels as they swim through estuaries toward freshwater. In the wild, only a tiny percentage would survive. Buying glass eels from fishermen and rearing them in tanks produces a much better result.

A priority for the farm is keeping the business, and the eels, local. "American Unagi is drastically reducing the carbon footprint of the eel reaching American plates," said Rademaker.

American Unagi, a land-based eel farm, on the coast of Maine (Courtesy of American Unagi.)

U.S. seafood-farmed and wild-caught-is produced under some of the strictest environmental and labor regulations globally. This ensures a sustainable and safe product for consumers.

Another benefit to farming seafood domestically is investing in coastal economies and working waterfronts. American Unagi is bringing sustainable jobs to rural Maine. As changing climates impact many livelihoods on the water, this work is more important now than ever.

"With localized food systems gaining importance in the United States, we are excited to be at the forefront of sustainable aquaculture here in Maine," said Rademaker.

Aquaculture Fun Fact

All of the eels at American Unagi are raised in tanks on land, known as Recirculating Aquaculture Systems.

Recipe: Unagi Kabayaki

Grilled eel recipe (Courtesy of American Unagi.)

Ingredients

Unagi Sauce

• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1.5 oz sake
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

Eel

• Eel filets
• Oil for frying

Directions

1. Combine ingredients for the unagi sauce and then boil to reduce. The sauce should be viscous by the time it cools. Stir constantly to avoid boilover. This process should take about 5 minutes on medium-high. Once the sauce is prepared, set aside.
2. Slice eel filets into 4-inch pieces, then cover on both sides either using a brush to apply the unagi sauce.
3. Broil on high (around 500˚F), removing eels regularly to flip and reapply unagi sauce. The sauce will bubble and caramelize quickly, indicating that the Kabayaki is ready for another coat of sauce. Repeat this step around six times, finishing by letting the edges crisp.

4. Either use immediately or refrigerate for later. You can always reheat Kabayaki later by cooking it skin down in a pan on gentle heat, with a touch of oil.

NOAA's Tide to Table series profiles members of the aquaculture community, who provide valuable jobs and increase access to fresh, sustainably sourced American seafood.