Managing Fisheries of the Delaware River Tailwaters
The Delaware tailwaters are one of New York's most renowned wild trout fisheries and a resource shared with neighboring Pennsylvania. DEC and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission conducted a joint fisheries investigation to update baseline data needed for adaptive management of the wild trout fishery and developed a management plan to provide a structured approach for continued collaboration in monitoring and managing this unique sport fishery.
The Delaware tailwaters encompasses the following:
- New York City Delaware River basin reservoirs, inclusive of the Cannonsville Reservoir located on the West Branch Delaware River and the Pepacton Reservoir located on the East Branch Delaware River.
- 75 miles of river, including the West Branch, the East Branch, and the mainstem Delaware River downstream to Callicoon, NY at river mile 303.
Management Plan
Delaware Tailwaters Joint Trout Management Plan (PDF)
Goal: Monitor, sustain, and promote a premier sport fishery for both wild brown trout and wild rainbow trout within the Delaware tailwaters to detect change and respond in an adaptive fashion.
Three primary components that make up the goal are as follows:
- Monitoring (fishery dependent and fishery independent). The Delaware tailwaters is a significant fishery that requires routine monitoring of the trout populations and anglers to continue to inform management.
- Instream and riparian habitat enhancement. To optimize the Delaware tailwaters trout populations, reach-scale or site-specific habitat enhancement projects could improve habitats for various lifestages.
- Outreach. Outreach and stakeholder engagement is critical for successful implementation of fishery management plans. As such, the results of Delaware tailwaters assessments will be routinely shared with stakeholders in a collaborative manner.
Reports
2025 Delaware Tailwaters Annual Report Card (PDF)
Summary of Findings of the Joint Fisheries Investigation for the Delaware Tailwaters 2018-2020 (PDF)
