The lower Hudson River Estuary is a dynamic region that supports a wide range of fish species. Hudson River Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary supports over 85 species of fishes, 55 of which have been caught as part of the ongoing Fish Ecology Survey since 1988.
Hudson River Park monitors the presence of fish in the Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary waters primarily through the Fish Ecology Survey which is supplemented by environmental DNA collection and videographic surveillance.
The Fish Ecology Survey uses crab pots and minnow traps to catch and hold fish, which are identified, measured and either returned to the River or temporarily kept in the Park’s Wetlab Aquarium. This study was started by the original River Project in 1988 and has continued nearly uninterrupted for more than three decades. Since 2009, the survey traps have been checked at least once a week, year-round, to provide robust and consistent data on the incidence of fish species in the Park.
You can also learn more how we study fish without even catching them by using environmental DNA and underwater videography.
Together, these two survey methods help build a more complete picture about the fish species that inhabit our waters year-round.
Want to learn more? You can meet local fish in our Pier 40 Wetlab, a research aquarium free & open from June to October, or in our Virtual Wetlab field guide!
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