Invasive fish caught in the Hudson River

Jul 21

Written By HVNY

During routine fish samplings on July 13 and 14, four invasive fish – round gobies – were captured at two locations in the Hudson River, 12 and 25 miles downstream of Troy.

This is the first documented occurrence of the invasive fish in the Hudson River, according to the DEC.

“The round goby is native to the Black and Caspian seas and was likely introduced by ballast water to the Great Lakes in the 1990s.”

The Round Goby has the potential to “cause ecological and recreational impacts. These fish are voracious feeders and compete with native species for food and spawning habitat. Their diet includes small invertebrates, mussels, and the eggs of native species and popular sportfish such as smallmouth bass and walleye. They also can be a nuisance to anglers.”

ID A ROUND GOBY:

Young round gobies are solid slate gray. Older fish are blotched with black and brown and have a white to greenish dorsal fin with a black spot at the posterior base (but note some Lake Erie specimens are spotless).
Size: 30.5 cm; 17.8 cm maximum seen in United States
They can spawn every 20 days from April to September
Maximum lifespan of about 4 years
The Round goby perches on rocks and other substrates in shallow areas, yet it has also been reported to flourish in a variety of habitat types including open sandy areas and in abundant aquatic macrophytes
The Round goby also has a well-developed sensory system that enhances its ability to detect water movement. This allows it to feed in complete darkness, giving it an advantage over other fish in the same habitat.

If you catch round goby in the Hudson, the DEC recommends taking multiple photographs from different angles, and record the date and location of capture. Email photographs and information to: isinfo@dec.ny.gov.

Sources:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/NYSDEC/bulletins/2e8f979

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=713