Fisheries of the Hudson River Estuary

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511550539.016

14 - Fisheries of the Hudson River Estuary

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 January 2010

Karin E. Limburg ,

Kathryn A. Hattala ,

Andrew W. Kahnle and

John R. Waldman

Edited by

Jeffrey S. Levinton and

John R. Waldman

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Karin E. Limburg: Affiliation:
State University of New York, College of Environmental Science Forestry
Kathryn A. Hattala: Affiliation:
Hudson River Fisheries Unit, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Andrew W. Kahnle: Affiliation:
Hudson River Fisheries Unit, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
John R. Waldman: Affiliation:
Hudson River Foundation
Jeffrey S. Levinton: Affiliation:
State University of New York, Stony Brook

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Summary

abstract Fisheries have been prosecuted in the Hudson since prehistoric times. Oysters, American shad, and sturgeon were important food fisheries into the twentieth century, although of these, only a dwindling commercial shad fishery persists. Striped bass, another formerly important commercial fishery, went into decline and subsequent recovery from management actions; today, it supports a major recreational fishery. Other important sport fishing includes largemouth and smallmouth bass, and American shad. Toxicants and power plants have been long-term threats to fisheries, and will continue to pose problems for the indefinite future.

Introduction

Of all the relationships humankind entertains with the Hudson River, perhaps none is so intimate as that of fishing. The harvest of fish and shellfish from the Hudson has endured for thousands of years, and connects us both with the river's productivity and with our cultural past.

Other chapters in this book describe the fish fauna and its use of various habitats within the system. Here, we concentrate on the fisheries themselves, focusing on key species within the commercial and sportfishing arenas. We also examine some of the factors that potentially have large effects on fisheries, namely, the impacts of power plants that withdraw water from the river, and the persistence of contaminants, especially PCBs.

Historical Importance of Hudson River Fisheries

FROM NATIVE TO COMMERCIAL FISHING

Before modern agriculture and globalization of products, the fisheries of the Hudson River were an important and diverse local source of protein.

Type: Chapter
Information: The Hudson River Estuary , pp. 189 - 204

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511550539.016 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2006

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