Saving Hudson River fish
Protecting iconic species vital to our local ecosystems
The challenge
The Hudson River’s iconic fish species — from American shad, Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon, American eels, and river herring, to striped bass — are a crucial part of our connected ecosystem. And they are all in decline.
A corridor of life
For many fish species, the Hudson is a critical highway from the Atlantic Ocean to their spawning grounds or nursery habitat. The river's tides and nutrients provide the essential basis for this aquatic life, and impacts to the Hudson have cascading effects on the health and populations of threatened or endangered species.
Numerous Hudson River fish species are in serious long-term decline, and at risk of collapse — threatened by contamination, habitat loss and degradation, sewage overflows, barriers like dams, invasive species, and overfishing.
#1
Recreational fishing, including catch and release, is the single largest cause of mortality for the entire stock of striped bass, coast-wide
600
American shad would swim 600 miles to spawn before the Susquehanna River was dammed
400
shad-fishing operations functioned on the Hudson before they were banned
14 feet
The largest Atlantic sturgeon caught in the Hudson River was 14 feet long
A species that has managed to survive since the age of the dinosaurs, Atlantic sturgeon spawn in the Hudson from April to June. Their populations in the Hudson were once bountiful, but due to the harvesting of their eggs for caviar, their numbers have dwindled since the late 1800s. In 2012, Atlantic sturgeon were placed on the federal endangered species list. Despite the protections, Atlantic sturgeon populations are not rebounding.
Striped bass are the East Coast’s premier saltwater gamefish, and these fish represent another iconic Hudson River species that is in long-term decline. In 2023, striped bass experienced their worst spawning season since 1995. When striped bass enter the river to spawn and as they mature, they utilize river herring and shad as a food source (the latter serving primarily as a source during spawning). However, research shows that river herring populations are fully depleted and are at historic lows. River herring rely on the Hudson’s tributaries to spawn, but a significant amount of that habitat lies upstream of obsolete dams, making our work to remove these barriers even more impactful and necessary.
In the past, river herring were wildly abundant, arriving into the Hudson and its tributaries by the millions and marking the onset of spring. These species are now in serious decline
At one time there were as many as 400 shad fishing operations in the Hudson River, running six days a week during spring migrations. This fishery also targeted the females for their roe. As a result, persistent and long-term declines and a fully depleted stock status has led to closures for all fishing of American shad in the Hudson River. Despite our efforts to restore American shad and river herring populations, they are not rebounding as they should. These fish face additional threats due to commercial fisheries in the Atlantic where they are often caught as bycatch. We are working with our partner groups to ensure the fishery managers address these issues and we will continue to fight for our fishes in the river or the ocean.
In addition to 2023 being the worst striped bass spawning season since 1995, Atlantic sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon, American eels, American shad, and river herring — all fishes that use the Hudson River or its tributaries to renew their population in freshwater — currently have depleted populations at historically low levels.
Shannon Roback, PhD
Science Director
- Focus areas
- Habitat and wildlifeWater quality
What we’re doing
Riverkeeper combats a host of threats to our fish, while educating anglers and advocating for policy that protects these critical species and works to reverse their decline.
Video loading...Originally organized as the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association, Riverkeeper has come a long way since our founding in the 1960s, and still has deep ties to our fishes and their stewardship. We continue to advocate for the protection and conservation of all the fishes that call the Hudson home to ensure a healthy, thriving ecosystem for years to come.
Atlantic sturgeon
Photo: Ernest Tollerson
The iconic fish is not showing signs of recovery despite federal protections, monitoring efforts, and legal actions. Riverkeeper advocates for managing agencies to take a stronger stance on bycatch and to develop a conservation plan. We support sturgeon when it comes to enforcement of fisheries regulation and monitoring of proposed development in or along the river — as projects can negatively impact their spawning and nursery grounds, or environmental sensing capabilities.
Striped bass
Recovery of the Hudson’s striped bass population is dependent on reducing recreational mortality, while also protecting the forage fish that striped bass need to sustain themselves. Riverkeeper frequently interacts with managing agencies to advocate for striped bass and other fisheries to ensure the sustainability and future health of the species.
Shad and river herring
Thanks to our dam removal efforts, shad and river herring are returning to critical habitat where they have not been in decades.
Video loading...Herring are a critical part of the food web, as they are prey for many species including striped bass, sharks, bluefish, weakfish, bald eagles, osprey, herons, egrets, mink, raccoons, whales, and dolphins.
American shad are the larger cousins of river herring, spending most of their adult lives in saltwaters and moving in from the ocean to spawn in the Hudson and its tributaries in the springtime. Riverkeeper has petitioned the DEC to increase protections on American shad, making them a “species of concern.”
Save a Million Bass
Our Save a Million Bass program is an educational outreach effort that targets the striped bass fishing community to educate anglers regarding changes in regulations and recommendations that help ensure striped bass survive recreational catch and release fishing encounters.
By educating anglers to utilize more effective techniques, we will ensure the survival of released fish, playing a meaningful role in the restoration of striped bass populations.
Updates
Update
December 19, 2024
Changes to striped bass management under consideration
Position statement
December 10, 2024
Riverkeeper proposes changes to support striped bass populations
Update
November 21, 2024
Get involved to protect the Hudson's iconic bass
Press release
October 24, 2024
Environmental organizations bring lawsuit against New York for Endangered Species Act violation that imperils iconic Atlantic sturgeon
Blog
October 15, 2024
NYSDEC’s updates to threatened species must go further to protect biodiversity
Blog
August 14, 2024
The Grandeur of the Hudson’s Broad Bays
Blog
March 27, 2024
Why recreational anglers may see plenty of striped bass stock when fishery managers say the population is declining
Blog
February 16, 2024
Supporting the striped bass population requires reducing mortality rates and growing the forage fish base
Blog
May 15, 2023
Hudson River striped bass fishing – What you need to know
Related campaigns
Dam removal
By removing old, obsolete dams, we are healing the ecosystem and restoring life to the Hudson and its tributaries
Protecting and restoring habitats
The Hudson River watershed is home to a breathtaking diversity of life. Protecting and restoring our aquatic habitats is critical for their renewal and for a healthy future for all life in the watershed
Invasive species
Protecting the Hudson includes defending it against outside threats