Over 60 Fish Illegally Taken From Hudson River in New York

Illegal fishing activity in Hudson Valley led to the seizure of over 60 fish.

On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provided updates on a joint investigation into illegal fishing in Orange, Rockland, Putnam and Westchester counties.

On Feb. 21, ECOs in Orange, Rockland, Westchester, and Putnam counties conducted a joint detail along the Hudson River to stop alleged illegal striped bass activity.

"Striped bass is an ecologically, recreationally, and economically important migratory fish species in New York. The Hudson River acts as a nursery for newly hatched young bass," the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation states.

The striped bass season runs from April 1 to Nov. 30 on the Hudson River.

Officers wrote a total of 16 summonses and discovered 33 out-of-season striped bass, officials say.

Striped bass seized during the detail were returned to the water or donated to the Wolf Conservancy in Westchester County.

"In 2015, New York reduced harvest due to a decline in the coastal spawning stock, resulting in a slot limit of 18 to 28 inches in length for the Hudson River," the DEC wrote in a press release.

On Feb. 12, ECOs Tompkins, Thibodeau, and Franz conducted a fishing enforcement detail in Westchester County looking for fishers taking out-of-season striped bass.

The officers patrolled Oscawana Island Park in the town of Cortlandt and Croton Point Park in the village of Croton-on-Hudson.

During the detail, ECOs observed several fishers allegedly taking and keeping out-of-season fish.

The ECOs issued 17 citations for violations including possessing out-of-season fish and fishing without a valid license.

The officers seized 30 striped bass from violators and released many of the fish back into the Hudson River. The rest of the fish were donated to a local wolf conservation center.