Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - DEC Reports Poor Striper Reproduction in the Hudson

Above photo: A state spawning survey conducted annually by fisheries biologists at DEC shows the third consecutive year of poor reproductive success of striped bass in the Hudson River. DEC responded by suggesting the formation of a working group to explore options to deal with the problem within the Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). At its winter meeting on February 5th in Arlington, Virginia, ASMFC included DEC's motion to form the working group in its agenda. Photo courtesy of NYS DEC

NYS DEC Reports Poor Striped Bass Reproduction Numbers

 On February 4th 2026, NYS DEC issued an update on the Hudson River’s Atlantic striped bass Juvenile Abundance Index (JAI) survey. The index determined poor striped bass reproductive success in the river for the third consecutive year. The JAI annually surveys juvenile and adult stripers on their spawning grounds in the Hudson River and in the Atlantic Ocean. “The 2025 value for the DEC’s Hudson River striped bass young-of-year index was 8.27 fish per haul. This value is below the long-term average…”

 DEC stated the alarming consistent trend indicating reduction in surveyed catch of young-of-the-year striped bass provides an estimate of their annual reproduction in the Hudson River. The JAI for striped bass in the Hudson River is generated through annual beach seine surveys at 13 sites in the lower Hudson River conducted bi-weekly from July to November. The survey can be found on DEC’s Striped Bass webpage.

“This recent poor juvenile reproduction in the Hudson River, along with consistent poor reproduction in the Chesapeake Bay over the last seven years, indicates that there will be a significant future decrease in catchable striped bass beginning in 2030. The Hudson and Chesapeake combined contribute approximately 90 percent of the coastal population of striped bass. Biologists at DEC report, “Reproduction of migratory fish in estuaries along the Atlantic Coast is typically highly variable and is heavily dependent on environmental conditions such as precipitation, water temperature and salinity, but it remains unclear what is driving this pattern in striped bass.” 

 DEC’s response to ongoing poor juvenile reproduction in the Hudson combined with concerns about poor reproduction coastwide, was to move to form a working group within the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to discuss upcoming striped bass management challenges. This action will commence discussions at ASMFC on how to manage the fishery into the 2030s when the coastal population of striped bass is “…expected to be much smaller.” 

ASMFC to Begin February 5, to Discuss Future Stock Management Challenges

ASMFC’s next striped bass stock assessment is scheduled to take place in 2027. This assessment will guide  the council’s striped bass management decisions beginning in 2028. The newly formed striped bass working group will meet well before the 2027 striped bass stock assessment to allow it to make management decisions upon receipt of its results. 

“The new working group will consider how to update the Striped Bass Interstate Fishery Management Plan’s goals, objectives, and management of striped bass in preparation for the results of the 2027 assessment. The goal of the working group is to prepare fishery managers to adapt successfully to the lower population level in the 2030s while maintaining access to striped bass and its important societal, cultural, and economic benefits. The initial step of forming the working group will occur on February 5, 2026, at the ASMFC Winter Meeting in Arlington, Virginia.”

It is too early to consider what impact the fisheries regulator’s response to reduced reproductive success and anticipated lower populations of striped bass coastwide will have upon the recreational and commercial harvest of striped bass in NY and beyond. Striped bass fishermen will have to wait for further information and updates upon the regulation of this important resource.  

  For more information about striped bass, fishing regulations, and ongoing management, visit DEC’s website.

Happy hunting, ice fishing, and trapping until next time!

News and Notes

Thompson’s Lake Ice Fishing Competition Postponed Until February 21st  

The Thompson’s Lake Ice Fishing Competition at Thacher State Park originally scheduled for Saturday, February 7th has been postponed to Saturday, February 21st due to expected severe cold weather conditions. Registration will now begin on Saturday, February 21st at 6am. 

Save the Date for the Ducks Unlimited Greene County Chapter Banquet on March 7th  

The Greene County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited is holding its annual banquet, dinner and auction on Saturday, March 7th at Anthony’s Banquet Hall located at 746 County Route 23B in Leeds. Doors open at 3:30 pm with buffet dinner starting at 5:00 pm, followed by a live auction. Tickets are available online at www.ducks.org/newyork/events. For more information, call Dana Hanusik at 518-821-1773 or Jeff Holiday at 965-6105. 

Remember to report poaching violations by calling the 24-hour ECO Dispatch at: 

1-844-DEC-ECOS.