11th Annual Great Hudson River Fish Count 'Lined Up' For August

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — If you think counting sheep is relaxing, then you are going to really love a day at the waterfront counting fish.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced on Thursday that the 11th annual Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count will be taking place at locations along the banks and piers of the Hudson River on Saturday, August 6.

Every summer, organizations all along the Hudson River and New York Harbor participate at riverfront sites to collect, count and catalog fish species.

"The annual fish count event provides a great opportunity for New Yorkers and visitors to get outdoors or go online and learn about the many fish species that live and thrive in the Hudson River," Commissioner Seggos said. "With sites from New York Harbor to Waterford, there are many places for young and old alike to participate in this year's event."

New Yorkers are invited to explore the different types of creatures usually hidden below the Hudson's surface. The Hudson River Estuary and watershed are home to more than 200 fish species, from fresh upriver to salty in NYC, including several that make the journey into the river from the Atlantic Ocean every spring to spawn. 11 locations will offer in-person opportunities for the public and two of them will livestream the fish count on the DEC's Facebook Live at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.

During this year's fish count, participating organizations will encourage visitors to help collect fish using seine nets, minnow traps, or rods and reels. Seining involves pulling a 30-foot net through the water and observing the fish, crabs and other river creatures caught in the mesh. Participants have the option of watching from the shore or putting on available waterproof waders and helping to pull in the net. The fish will be released after everyone has a chance to view them up close.

Groups will then share their catch results by posting to the @NYSDEC Twitter feed with the hashtag #hudsonriverfishcount. The DEC says that comparing notes will build an understanding of the diversity of fish and habitats in the Hudson, the vitality of the estuarine ecosystem in both urban and rural settings and the influence of salinity and tides. Much of the catch will tend to be young fish, underlining the importance of the Hudson River's nursery habitat.

More information can be found on the Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count page on the DEC's website. So far, 70 different types of fish have been recorded during the annual counts. The full list of species found each year over the past decade can be found here.

All Fish Count programs are family-friendly and free of charge. The event is sponsored by DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program and Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve in partnership with other environmental organizations.

A list of participating public and virtual sites follows (from south to north):

Brooklyn

• Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 4 Beach: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
  • Note: Members of the public will not be able to get into the water, but can help with on-shore activities such as fish identification and scavenger hunts

Manhattan

• Pier 40 Wetlab, Hudson River Park Trust: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Hudson River Park Trust

Westchester

• Habirshaw Park, Yonkers: 1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Center for the Urban River at Beczak

Rockland

• Piermont Pier, Piermont: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University

Putnam

• Little Stony Point, Cold Spring: 12 p.m.
• DEC Hudson River Estuary Program

Dutchess

• Long Dock Park, Beacon: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
  • Scenic Hudson Note: Seining at 10 a.m., fish activities and display of fish from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Norrie Point Environmental Center, Staatsburg: 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve/Hudson River Estuary Program Note: The parking lot is currently under construction. Parking is available by the marina, then there is a fenced off path to the Environmental Center. Site is not ADA accessible during this construction phase.

Ulster

• Hudson River Sloop Clearwater: sail is not open to the public DEC Facebook Live, 11 a.m.

• Kingston Point Beach, Kingston: 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • DEC Hudson River Estuary Program DEC Facebook Live, 5 p.m.

Rensselaer

• Papscanee Island Nature Preserve: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
  • River Haggie Outdoors Note: Event will be at the south entrance on Staats Island Road. Parking lot is on the right past the train tracks.

Saratoga

• Peebles Island State Park, Cohoes: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Note: Display will be under the Second Street bridge by the river. Live fish on display, no guided active fishing. DEC Region 4 Fisherie.

• Waterford Boat Launch, Waterford: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Note: Live fish on display, no guided active fishing. DEC Region 4 Fisheries.