Report Dead Sturgeon
July 2, 2013
Riverkeeper Team
Photo credit: Cacophny
Both Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon are protected by the Endangered Species Act, and New York has committed to limiting impacts on these fish throughout construction. Riverkeeper is carefully monitoring the bridge construction process, and we’ve retained the right to enforce the permit requirements designed to protect sturgeon if sturgeon are being harmed, or if other permit conditions agreed to in March 2013 are not met.
We are asking the public to be watchful when visiting the river, and to make timely and thorough reports if a dead sturgeon is observed.
If you find a dead sturgeon, do not touch or move it. Take photographs and careful notes, and report it to these three entities:
- Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Fisheries Unit: E-mail hudsonriverfish@dec.ny.gov. Then call DEC fisheries staff at 845-256-3071 and/or 845-256-3073.
- Tappan Zee Bridge Hotline: 1-855-892-7434
- Riverkeeper: watchdogteam@riverkeeper.org and 914-478-4501 x231.
REPORT THESE OBSERVATIONS:
- Specific location where fish was found.
- Condition of the fish. Note if it is badly decayed or freshly killed.
- Signs of trauma, and where the signs of trauma appear on the fish.
- Length of fish, from nose to tip of upper tail fin (estimate length if you can’t measure).
- Look for external tags affixed for scientific research, usually a yellow streamer at or near the base of the dorsal fin. Take note of any writing on the tags.
- Check the left pelvic fin. If it is clipped, it may have been marked by scientists for research.
- Take a picture of the entire fish.
- Take pictures of any injuries.
- Take a picture of the head and mouth, from below. (This will allow for proper identification of the species.)
- Leave the fish leave where it was found. Possession of endangered species is not allowed.