DEC to Host Sixth Annual Great Hudson River Fish Count on August 5

Fish Count at Multiple Sites on Hudson River Banks and Piers

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that the sixth annual Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count will take place at multiple sites along the banks and piers of the Hudson River on August 5.

The public is invited to join naturalists from the Capital Region to New York City to explore the variety of creatures usually hidden below the river’s surface. Fresh upriver and salty at New York City, the Hudson River’s estuary and watershed are home to more than 200 fish species, including several that migrate into the river from the Atlantic Ocean each spring to spawn.

During the fish count, participating organizations encourage visitors to help collect fish using seine nets, minnow traps, or rods and reels. The fish are released after everyone has a chance to see them up close. Seining involves pulling a 30-foot net through the water and checking out the fish, crabs, and other river-life caught in its mesh. Participants may watch from shore or jump into available waterproof waders and help pull in the net.

Participating groups share their catch results via cell phones and by posting to the DEC Twitter feed with the hashtag #hudsonriverfishcount. Comparing notes builds understanding of the diversity of fishes and habitats in the Hudson, the vitality of the estuarine ecosystem in urban and rural settings, and the influence of salinity and tides.

Sites and participating organizations for 2017 include:

Brooklyn

• Valentino Pier: 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.; seining at end of Coffey St, Red Hook; Hudson River Estuary program.
• Brooklyn Bridge Park: 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.; seining at beach under Manhattan Bridge; Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy

Manhattan

• Hudson River Park Pier 25: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; minnow pots & crab traps at Steam Ship Lilac, at West St & North Moore St; The River Project
• Hudson River Park Pier 84: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; angling on Pier 84 at 12th Ave & 44th St; Hudson River Park Trust
• Randall’s Island Park: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.; seining on Harlem River north of pedestrian bridge from Manhattan at 103rd St.; Randall’s Island Parks Alliance

Yonkers

• Habirshaw Park: 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.; seining at 35 Alexander St, 1 block from Yonkers Metro North Station (Hudson Line); Sarah Lawrence Center for the Urban River at Beczak

Piermont

• Piermont Pier: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.; seining at blockhouse at pier’s end; Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University

Sleepy Hollow

• Kingsland Pt. Park: 1:00 p.m.; seining at Kathryn W. Davis RiverWalk Center; Teatown Lake Reservation/Strawtown Studio

Croton on Hudson

• Croton Point Park: 2:30 p.m.; seining at Mother’s Lap waterfront just west of swimming beach; Westchester County Parks Department

Cold Spring

• Little Stony Point: 3:30 p.m.; seining at north end of Sandy Beach; Hudson River Estuary Program

New Windsor

• Kowawese Unique Area/Plum Point: 5:30 p.m.; seining on county park beach; Hudson River Estuary Program

Beacon

• Long Dock Park: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.; seining; Scenic Hudson

Poughkeepsie

• Waryas Park: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.; seining at north end of park near Fall Kill; Scenic Hudson

Staatsburg

• Norrie Point: 10:00 a.m. – 12 p.m.; seining next to Environmental Center; Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve Kingston Kingston Point Beach: 5:00 p.m.; seining; Hudson River Estuary Program.

Coxsackie

• Riverfront Park: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; seining at Riverside Festival, near boat launch; Hudson River Estuary Program /Capital District Marine Aquarists Society

Castleton-on-Hudson

• Schodack Island State Park: 10:00 a.m.; seining at boat launch; River Haggie Outdoors/Rensselaer Land Trust

Waterford

• Peebles Island State Park: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; seining just east of bridge to Waterford; Hudson River Estuary Program

For more information, visit the Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count page on DEC’s website. Clips about seining in the Hudson River are available on DEC’s YouTube Channel(link leaves DEC’s website). While the Fish Count programs are free of charge, some parks may charge entrance or parking fees.