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Hope for Hudson River Fish

Last month I wrote about a recent study documenting declining fish populations in the Hudson River, especially American shad. I'm happy to report Gov. Paterson already has earmarked funding to seek ways of remedying conditions likely contributing to the shad's decline, including over-fishing, habitat loss and increased populations of predatory species. The state Department of Environmental Conservation will head up this initiative.

American shad
American Shad / NOAA via Wikimedia Commons

The most important action the Department can take is to establish regulations requiring Hudson River power plants to replace obsolete "once through" cooling technology with commercially viable systems that reduce water withdrawal by more than 90 percent. For more than 30 years, Scenic Hudson, Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council have waged a David vs. Goliath battle with the power companies to persuade them to install "closed cycle" cooling systems that recycle river water, rather than continuously flushing their plants with new water. ...



Hudson River Fish in Startling Decline

One of the highlights of spring in the Hudson River Valley is the annual shad festival held in Kingston. Hundreds of people gather to celebrate – and feast on – a fish that has been one of the region’s dietary staples since Native American times.

This year’s shad festival was different in one major, disheartening respect: there was no shad. The species’ numbers have dropped so precipitously in the Hudson River that the state severely restricted commercial fishing this spring, meaning many consumers – and Kingston’s festival-goers – didn’t get their yearly fill of the fishes’ delicately flavored flesh and piquant shad roe.

Sadly, a new report indicates shad aren’t the only Hudson River fish in dire straits. In fact, it’s just one of 10 species that have declined since the 1970s. ...






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Hudson's mission is to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors.
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