R.O.A.R. joins with RVK to protect Hudson River Fish

Religious Organizations Along the Hudson River (ROAR) is a group of nine congregations with property along the Hudson. We’ve had ROAR members aboard on the Tappan Zee, at Indian Point and at Kingston – three outings with 22 guests. Their mission statement reads, in part, “we share kinship with all creation” and “human beings and the natural world must go into the future as a single sacred community or both will perish.” Riverkeeper and ROAR are working together on shad and herring protection and restoration. They are wonderful partners and we are very grateful for their help.

Tagging Atlantic Sturgeon near Norrie Point

We came upon the DEC fisheries team in the process of tagging six males – all about 6 feet long. These fish are so astounding to see up close! Our Atlantic Sturgeon population has been nearly wiped out by overfishing. There are more males now because it was the females that were taken for their eggs/caviar. Any species whose eggs are a gourmet treat is in real trouble! Unlimited harvest of a fish species just before they spawn is a pretty efficient way to exterminate them. We did it to Atlantic Sturgeon until 1997 and River Herring and American Shad as well. This year however, the shad fishery has been suspended – in the hope that the stock can be restored. Our declining herring population still has no protection at all.

River Herring in the Hudson in decline

Two almost dead herring in a holding pen at a bait supplier's dock. When they are almost dead their eyes fog up - like cataracts. River Herring (Alewife and Blueback) are taken during their spawning runs as bait for the recreational Stripped Bass fishery. Populations of both (as well as Shad, which is also a herring) have crashed in the region.

In Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut all herring fisheries are closed. It's illegal to POSSESS a herring in those states but in NY the fishery continues. In NY the DEC would like to have better science on the health of the River Herring runs but the Fisheries Unit hasn't received sufficient funding in the past to gather that data. Without data it's hard to institute management plans or closures. 

Riverkeeper is asking that protection of the Hudson's signature species be fully funded and given the highest priority. Learn more.

Photo by John Lipscomb4/28: The Half Moon. A replica of Henry Hudson’s ship.