Hudson Valley On The Water: The Dangerous Round Goby Invades

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The round goby is in the Hudson River and state environmental officials are taking aggressive action to keep the invasive species from the Caspian Sea from obliterating native species on a march towards Lake Champlain.

The round goby has been spotted in the river near Poughkeepsie and this changes everything.

The small fish is actually kind of cute with its oversized eyes and curious mouth, but environmental officials say there is nothing cute about the crisis these unwelcome visitors are creating in their wake.

The round goby is one of the biggest threats to New York waters, particularly Lake Champlain. Native to Europe and Asia, this fish was introduced in the Great Lakes in 1990 and spread throughout the lakes' system, according to a new DEC report. The round goby reproduces quickly, outcompetes native fish species for food and habitat, eats the young and eggs of other fish and can transport botulism up the food chain to waterfowl.

In March, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Canal Corporation announced a rapid response plan to combat the spread of the round goby. The effort might soon involve closing locks to help defend waterways.

"DEC is working shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners at Canal Corporation to address the threat of round goby and other invasive species to waterbodies like Lake Champlain," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said, announcing the aggressive plans. "We are bolstering current invasive species surveillance education and taking a hard look at the immediate threats posed by these water-borne invaders to implement the most effective strategies that will protect our fisheries, wildlife, and local recreational economies today and into the future."

Immediate measures will include the piloting of "double draining" at some locks and scheduling locking operations to set times to accommodate recreational and commercial vessels. The intent of "double draining" is to move goby out of the lock and lock approach to prevent upstream migration.

The DEC and the Canal Corporation will develop additional potential aquatic invasive species mitigation measures that allow boat passage and have the potential to be implemented in the next year, such as electric field barriers and air bubblers, and will evaluate the effectiveness of these measures.

"LCBP and New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) have activated rapid response funds to support U.S. Geological Survey New York to conduct early detection monitoring for round goby in the Hudson River system and the Champlain Canal," Lake Champlain Basin Program Eric Howe said. "LCBP and NEIWPCC also are collaborating with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support a new AIS outreach specialist position stationed at DEC in Warrensburg to work with communities along the Champlain Canal on spread prevention for round goby and all other aquatic invasive species."

New York State's efforts to combat the invasive round goby are supported by additional work led by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including a feasibility study already underway to assess options for permanent barriers to prevent the spread of these invasive pests.

Recreational boats remain the single biggest way invasive species spread in New York waterways , but there are simple steps boaters can take to keep this from happening. Visit DEC's website for more information on aquatic invasive species and a step-by-step guide for ridding boats and equipment of AIS. A video can also be found on the DEC's YouTube channel.

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