River herring species including alewife (Alosa pseudohargengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis) are ecologically, recreationally, and economically important migratory fishes in the Hudson River. Adults spend most of the year in coastal waters, but return to the Hudson River estuary each spring to spawn before returning to the ocean. The Hudson River is also a nursery for newly hatched (young of year) river herring: each year around early fall they begin moving out of the estuary into near shore coastal areas. River herring are rarely found in the New York portion of the Delaware River.
Current Fishery
- Summary of Recreational Regulations (PDF)
- Official Recreational Regulations in the Hudson River and its tributaries
- Summary of Commercial Regulations (PDF)
- Official Commercial Regulations in the Hudson River
These summary tables were developed as convenient references. Official regulations for recreational and commercial river herring fishing in the Hudson River and tributaries can be found in the New York State Environmental Law (ECL) and Volume 6 of the Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR), online, at the nearest library with a State Supreme Court reference section, or by contacting a Regional DEC Division of Law Enforcement Office.)
Fish Consumption Advisory
Please visit the Department of Health's website for fish consumption advisories from the Hudson and other waters of New York.
Management
River herring are cooperatively managed along the Atlantic coast by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). In 2009, ASMFC adopted Amendment 2 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Shad and River Herring, which requires under federal law that member states demonstrate that fisheries for river herring (alewife and blueback herring) are sustainable within their state's waters. A sustainable fishery is defined as one that will not diminish potential future reproduction and recruitment of herring stocks. If states cannot demonstrate sustainability to the ASMFC, they must close their herring fisheries.
To comply with Amendment 2, DEC develops and follows a 5-year Hudson River Sustainable Fishery Management Plan that is approved by ASMFC for the state's river herring stocks. The current river herring SFMP is effective 2022-2026. Among the Atlantic coast states, only five have approved plans that allow directed fisheries for river herring: New York (Hudson River only), Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and North Carolina. River herring fisheries in all other Atlantic coast states and jurisdictions are closed.
Monitoring Programs
Beginning in 2012, a 300 foot haul seine and an electrofishing boat are used from April through June to catch spawning river herring. Length, weight, and sex information is recorded and scale samples for aging are collected from the fish before being returned to the river.
Since 1980, a 100 foot seine is used from June through October to catch newly hatched young of year river herring. The fish are counted and measured and average catch rates are calculated.
