What We Do
DEC fisheries biologists and technicians perform many duties to manage the fish resources within New York waters. This includes:
- Evaluating the status of fish populations for enhancement or restoration.
- Conducting regular surveys to monitor the overall health of fish populations and to establish effective stocking and harvest policies.
- Managing 12 DEC hatcheries for annual fish stocking.
View videos on DEC's YouTube Channel to learn more about what we do
Find a Report or Plan
Refer to the Fisheries Management Dictionary (PDF) for definitions of commonly used technical terms in DEC Bureau of Fisheries Reports.
By Species
- Black Bass (smallmouth and largemouth)
- Brook Trout in Adirondack Ponds
- Inland Trout in Streams (brook, brown, and rainbow)
- Sunfish and Crappie
- Lake Sturgeon
- Muskellunge
- Sauger
By Management Region
Each management region covers the inland lakes, rivers, and streams in a specified area where fisheries staff conduct research and surveys to manage New York's freshwater fisheries.
- Region 1 (Long Island)
- Region 2 (New York City)
- Region 3 (Lower Hudson Valley | Southern Catskills)
- Region 4 (Capital District | Northern Catskills)
- Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks | Lake Champlain)
- Region 6 (Western Adirondacks | St. Lawrence River | Eastern Lake Ontario)
- Region 7 (Central NY)
- Region 8 (West Central NY)
- Region 9 (Western NY)
- Great Lakes
Lake Erie || Lake Ontario
See Hudson and Delaware Marine Fisheries for migratory species management (striped bass, American shad, etc.)
New York Statewide Angler Survey
New York Statewide Angler Survey: Angler Effort and Expenditures (PDF)
New York Statewide Angler Survey: Angler Survey Results at the County Level (PDF)
