History, Natural History & the Arts
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation staff commissioned the Orwell Brook sea lamprey barrier on March 16th, 2021.
The barrier is a temporary structure that is installed each March, during the sea lamprey spawning run, and then removed a couple months later when spawning sea lamprey are no longer present. [Read more…] about Efforts Made To Stop Sea Lampreys in Oswego County
The annual egg take at New York State’s Oneida Fish Hatchery began on March 31st this year. Despite staffing limitations due to COVID-19 restrictions, seven nets were set and a total of 12,424 walleye were collected. Staff processed 5,190 females to obtain this year’s 270 million egg quota in eight days. Eggs are currently hatching, and stocking across the state is underway. [Read more…] about State Hatcheries Complete Walleye, Steelhead Egg Collections
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the upcoming rehabilitation of the dam that impounds Chittning Pond, located north of State Route 20 on Albert J. Woodford Memorial State Forest in the town of Sangerfield, Oneida County.
Chittning Pond is a 70-acre pond that is home to a warm water fishery and provides habitat for a multitude of bird, amphibian, reptile, and mammal species. [Read more…] about Chittning Pond Dam (Oneida Co) Improvements Planned
New Yorkers may be seeing more dead fish in the water this spring than in past years. The winter of 2020-2021 created optimal conditions for winterkills, which usually occur in shallow waterbodies with aquatic plant growth. [Read more…] about Understanding Winter Fish Kills
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has finalized new trout stream regulations that will take effect on April 1st, 2021.
The new rules eliminate more than 20 types of special regulations associated with trout stream reaches, reducing 26 regulations to four. [Read more…] about New Trout Stream Regulations Go Into Effect April 1st
New for 2021, DEC streamlined its annual fishing regulations guide. With few exceptions, contents in the new guide are limited to only a summary of the laws and regulations anglers need to know before hitting the water. [Read more…] about New 2021 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide
To provide additional information about how and where anglers can find their preferred type of trout angling opportunities, DEC is launching an interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map to provide information about stocking, fishing access, season dates, and regulations on the DECinfo Locator. [Read more…] about New Interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map
In light of increased wild production, the Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative (NY, VT, USFWS) is reducing lake trout stocking by 33 percent (~27,060 fish).
This decision is based on data that indicates increased catches of wild lake trout in annual standardized nettings used to monitor the contribution of wild vs. stocked fish to the lake trout population. [Read more…] about Champlain Lake Trout Stocking Cut By A Third
The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program is set to host a virtual presentation focusing on how Adirondack anglers can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, on Wednesday, March 24th. [Read more…] about How Anglers Can Prevent Spreading Aquatic Invasives
For those impatiently waiting for the opening of the trout fishing season on April 1st, you might want to consider making a trip to one of New York’s Great Lakes tributaries, where the spring steelhead season is already in full swing. [Read more…] about Lake Erie Steelhead: Spring Fishing Forecast