Volunteers Needed for Herring Survey

The DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program is seeking volunteers to help with a survey of river herring abundance in the Hudson's tributaries. The herring monitoring program runs from April 1 - May 31, at the time when herring would be expected to be spawning. Herring spend their lives in the ocean, but spawn in the tributaries of inland rivers like the Hudson. Up and down the Atlantic coast, herring numbers have been in steep decline, and other states have restricted or banned fishing for herring in order to encourage a recovery. Anecdotal evidence suggests the same decline is happening on the Hudson; however, until this survey began last year, scientists had little recent hard data to measure the abundance of herring in the Hudson (with the exception of American shad, the biggest of the herring, and for hundreds of years the most important food fish caught in the river; commercial fishing for shad is banned, starting in 2010 in an effort to correct historic population declines.) River herring numbers (blueback and alweife herring) may be in decline because they are caught in large numbers as bait for striped bass anglers. Black Creek once had a huge spawning run of herring, but anecdotal evidence suggests it has waned or even disappeared. Black Creek is the only monitoring site in Ulster County.

Volunteers are asked to look for signs of herring, at least twice a week for 15 minutes. Training will be provided and no experience is necessary.

For more information, email r3hermon@gw.dec.state.ny.us or call 845-256-3182.

The Hudson River Estuary Program is also currently taking public comment on its latest Action Agenda, the document that guides the public-private effort to restore and protect the Hudson River watershed. You can learn a lot just by reading the plan, but it's also good to comment if you want to support or criticize any aspects of the plan.

Volunteers Needed to Monitor Herring In Black Creek

Scientists need the help of the public in monitoring herring in Hudson River tributaries, including Black Creek in the Town of Esopus.

River herring come in two varieties -- blueback and alewife -- and are important fish in the ecology of both the river and ocean. Their numbers have been plummeting in many rivers up and down the East Coast, including -- most likely (data is scarce) on the Hudson. These fish are small and used to reproduce in huge numbers in most tributaries of the river; damming and other habitat loss, pollution and overfishing for food and bait (herring are popular bait fish for striped bass anglers) are likely contributing to their decline. Like many other species important to the Hudson, herring spend most of their lives in the ocean, but spawn in the river each spring.

Black Creek has traditionally been one of the best tributaries for catching herring -- but in recent years, local fishermen have reported that the spawning run has declined or disappeared.

Now to the volunteer opportunity. The following is from the Department of Environmental Conservation:

NYSDEC's Hudson River Estuary Program and Hudson River Fisheries Unit has initiated a volunteer-based river herring monitoring program during the annual migration of river herring from the ocean into freshwater tributaries to spawn.

We are looking for volunteers to monitor streams from now until 5/31. Monitoring involves looking to see if, where, and when herring spawning runs exist on these tributaries. Each volunteer will conduct visual
observations at least twice a week for 15 minutes at a site close to their town. Training is provided, no experience necessary. For more information on the program, please visit the website! . If you are interested in participating or would like to attend a training, contact us at r3hermon@gw.dec.state.ny.us or (845)256-3182.

The Sites:

• (Albany County) Coeymans Creek, Vloman Kill
• (Columbia County) Stockport Creek, Mill Creek
• (Dutchess County) Fallkill, Wappinger Creek, Crum Elbow Creek
• (Orange County) Moodna, Quassaick Creek
• (Ulster County) Black Creek
• (Westchester County) Croton River
• (Rockland County) Minisceongo Creek, Sparkill Creek