Join us in celebrating World Fish Migration Day at the Hudson Estuary on June 10
Scientists and educators share information about each attracted species at each location.
From winter to spring every year, seasonal changes drive migratory fish from the world’s oceans into estuaries and freshwater tributaries to spawn. A slight warming of the water, a subtle lengthening of daylight, and simple biological triggers could send a variety of saltwater fish inland to breed.We celebrate this seasonal cycle every year on the Hudson World Fish Migration Day Activities Sponsored by Columbia Climate Institute’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and New York State Department of Environmental Protection.
On Saturday, June 10, at various locations throughout the Hudson and Harbor, groups will host free public events inviting participants to have the opportunity to string a seine along the shore, or drop a fishing line from a pier, to see what might be What happens is moving in the water.We will Lamont Field Station, 200 Ferry Road.in Pyrmont, New York. This will be our first science saturday Summer events. All species are counted and returned to the estuary to continue their role in the ecosystem. This event is a great way to celebrate National Ocean Month and learn why the Hudson Estuary is known as the important “arm of the ocean”!
Why do fish choose estuaries to spawn?
The ocean is a large space with all kinds of predatory fish, as well as young fish, who will find it a very hostile environment. The calm, protected waters of estuaries can provide a place for juvenile fish to “hide” and become smaller before returning to the larger ocean and more challenging environment. It’s the connection between land and water, where slowing water allows suspended matter rich in minerals and nutrients to wash off the land and settle, creating valuable nurseries for many of our fish. In addition to being calm, the shallow and nutrient-rich natural environment of the estuary provides a seemingly endless supply of food for the newly hatched juveniles. In the United States, most of the fish we eat spends at least part of its life cycle in estuaries.
What species can we see?
American eels are common in the Hudson River, although we are more likely to catch baby glass eels migrating into the estuary or juvenile eels traveling upstream than the adult yellow eels this time of year. (Photo courtesy of Maggie Thulin)
It’s hard to predict what we’ll catch. We often see striped bass, American eel and various types of herring, including blueback, blueback (collectively known as river herring), American herring and Atlantic herring. There are other species that migrate from freshwater to saltwater in the Hudson River this time of year, such as the iconic blue crab. Mating and spawning take place in the less salty lower Hudson River, but the young crabs travel to brackish water (a mixture of salt and fresh water) to begin their shell formation and molting cycle as they begin to grow to maturity. Males spend most of their time in the saltwater and freshwater parts of the Hudson River, then return to the saltlands downstream to find females and mate again.
In New York Harbor, rows of seahorses are not uncommon for World Fish Migration Day. This tail wraps tightly around the sampler’s thumb for stability. (Photo courtesy of Edita O’Brien)
In addition to the migratory fish in the estuary, we will also count a variety of other fish such as black-spotted seahorses, northern billfish, gulf anchovies, striped killifish, mummichog, striped mullet and more. The fish they find swimming in the water will be different at each location, but at each location, a team of scientists and educators are available to help you enjoy the event.
Northern Pipefish are associated with the lined seahorses and are often pulled into our
nets, but their slender size makes them easy to slide through, if not collected quickly to count. (Peter Park Picture)
When and where will this happen?
There will be 11 events in Xiahekou, the time and place of which are shown in the picture below.For an interactive map and full information on locations and times, visit our event site. It was a wonderful collaborative event, with each site being hosted by a different organization.
What about Atlantic sturgeon?
Majestic Atlantic sturgeon also make their way into the Hudson at this time of year. Moving along the river bottom, these iconic fish are heading to the upper estuary to spawn. While we won’t be seeing these fish in Saturday’s catch count, we are using another tool, eDNA, to track this amazing species. New York City’s Hudson River Park, Yonkers Beczak’s Urban River Center, Lamont’s Piermont Field Station team, and Norrie Point’s Hudson River Estuary Project are collaborating for the third year to track a group of migratory species as they pass through used Estuaries of environmental DNA or eDNA. By analyzing water samples for small DNA fragments that fish shed as they cross the estuary, we can track Atlantic sturgeon as they pass through our reach. Samples collected in May showed DNA fragments in Pyrmont and Cape Norrie waters as they moved from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the freshwater Upper Hudson River.
The New York State DEC samples sturgeon entering the estuary to track their health and numbers. Fish are weighed, measured and sampled, then immediately returned to the water.
The eDNA program is just one way to track Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson River.In addition, NYS DEC monitors their activity and health in the river through a rigorous sampling program, which you can read more about here.
Why are oceans important in migration and beyond?
Respecting and protecting the world’s oceans is of paramount importance. World Fish Migration Day would not happen without our connection to the ocean. Humans depend on the ocean for so many “services”. The term “service” implies exploitative use, and while many may object, understanding the ocean’s importance to us as humans is critical to building our respect and motivating us to take action to better protect it.
Who can we contact with questions?
For more information on this event, please contact:
Maggie Thulin or Marisa Annunziato At the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.
full fishing data Events from previous years.
