From 1988 to 2006 The River Project caught and identified 49 species of fish in the lower Hudson River at Pier 26. In 2007, we moved approximately .5 mile up river to Pier 40 where we continue to gather data on local fish populations.

Below is a list of all fish species collected at Pier 26. The 49 species identified, represent 41 genera, 32 families, and 15 orders of fishes. Fish were caught using passive trapping techniques (traps suspended to hang just off the bottom of the river). Any fish caught by other methods are referenced at the bottom of the list.

For more information on these fish visit the Virtual Aquarium.

Family	Common name	Genus	Species	Origin
Anguillidae - freshwater eels	American eel	Anguilla	rostrata	Diadromous
Congridae - conger eels	Conger eel	Conger	oceanicus	Temperate marine strays
Clupeidae - herring	Atlantic herring	Clupea	harengus	Temperate marine strays
Gadidae - codfishes	Tom cod	Microgadus	tomcod	Diadromous
Gadidae - codfishes	Pollock	Pollachius	virens	Temperate marine strays
Gadidae - codfishes	Spotted hake	Urophycis	regia	Temperate marine strays
Gadidae - codfishes	White hake	Urophycis	tenuis	Temperate marine strays
Batrachoididae - toadfishes	Oyster toadfish	Opsanus	tau	Temperate marine strays
Belonidae - needlefishes	Atlantic needlefish	Strongylura	marina	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Cyprinodontidae - killfishes	Eastern banded killifish	Fundulus	diaphanus diaphanus	Freshwater/Atlantic Coast refugium
Cyprinodontidae - killfishes	Mummichog	Fundulus	heteroclitus	Estuarine
Atherinidae - silversides	Atlantic silverside	Menidia	menidia	Temperate marine strays
Gasterosteidae - sticklebacks	Fourspine stickleback	Apeltes	quadracus	Estuarine
Gasterosteidae - sticklebacks	Threespine stickleback	Gasterosteus	aculeatus	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Syngnathidae - pipefishes	Lined seahorse	Hippocampus	erectus	Temperate marine strays
Syngnathidae - pipefishes	Northern pipefish	Syngnathus	fuscus	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Triglidae - sea robins	Northern sea robin	Prionotus	carolinus	Temperate marine strays
Triglidae - sea robins	Striped sea robin	Prionotus	evolans	Temperate marine strays
Cottidae - sculpins	Grubby	Myoxocephalus	aenaeus	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Cottidae - sculpins	Longhorn sculpin	Myoxocephalus	octodecemspinosus	Temperate marine strays
Moronidae - river basses	White perch	Morone	americana	Estuarine
Moronidae - river basses	Striped bass	Morone	saxatilis	Diadromous
Serranidae - sea basses	Black sea bass	Centropristis	striata	Temperate marine strays
Serranidae - sea basses	Gag grouper	Mycteroperca	microlepis*	Tropical marine strays
Pomatomidae - bluefishes	Bluefish	Pomatomus	saltatrix	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Rachycentridae - cobias	Cobia	Rachycentron	canadum++*	Temperate marine strays
Carangidae - jacks	Crevalle Jack	Caranx	hippos	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Lutjanidae - snappers	Gray snapper	Lutjanus	griseus*	Tropical marine strays
Sparidae - porgies	Scup, (porgy)	Stenotomus	chrysops	Temperate marine strays
Sparidae - porgies	Sheepshead	Archosargus	probatocephalus*	Temperate marine strays
Sciaenidae - drums	Silver perch	Bairdiella	chrysoura	Temperate marine strays
Sciaenidae - drums	Weakfish	Cynoscion	regalis	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Sciaenidae - drums	Spot (Lafayette)	Leiostomus	xanthurus+	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Chaetodontidae - butterflyfishes	Foureye butterflyfish	Chaetodan	capistratus*	Tropical marine strays
Chaetodontidae - butterflyfishes	Spotfin butterflyfish	Chaetodan	ocellatus*	Tropical marine strays
Labridae - wrasses	Tautog (blackfish)	Tautoga	onitis	Temperate marine strays
Labridae - wrasses	Cunner (bergall, chogy)	Tautogolabrus	adspersus	Temperate marine strays
Pholidae - gunnels	Rock gunnel	Pholis	gunnellus	Temperate marine strays
Blenniidae - combtooth blennies	Feather blenny	Hypsoblennius	hentz	Tropical marine strays
Gobiidae - gobies	Naked goby	Gobisoma	bosc	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Gobiidae - gobies	Seaboard goby	Gobisoma	ginsburgi	Temperate marine strays
Scombridae - mackerels	Atlantic mackerel	Scomber	scombrus	Temperate marine strays
Stromateidae - butterfishes	Butterfish	Peprilus	triacanthus	Temperate marine strays
Bothidae - lefteye flounders	Summer flounder (fluke)	Paralichthys	dentatus	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Bothidae - lefteye flounders	Windowpane	Scophthalmus	aquosus	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Pleuronectidae - righteye flounders	Winter flounder	Pleuronectes	americanus	Permanent/seasonally resident marine
Balistidae - leatherjackets	Orange filefish	Aluterus	schoepfi	Temperate marine strays
Ostraciidae - boxfishes	Spotted trunkfish	Lactophrys	bicaudalis*	Temperate marine strays
Tetraodontidae - puffers	Norhtern puffer	Sphoeroides	maculatus	Temperate marine strays

Taxonomy and origins from Tom Lake's Hudson River Fish Fauna, 1999, citing as a taxonomic reference: Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States and Canada, 5th ed. Robins, C., Richard et al. 1991. American Fisheries Society Special Publications 20, Bethesda, MD.

Diversity:
Class: 1
Orders: 15
Families: 32
Genera: 41
Species: 49

Method of capture:
Fish were caught in baited or unbaited killie traps set from the pier on the mud bottom, unless marked with symbols:
+ Caught by rod and reel.
++ Caught with dip net.
+++ Caught midwater in killie trap
* Species Scarce locally
* Unusual specimens
  cobia - only one individual of this species has been previously reported in the River, in 1895.
  foureye butterflyfish - unique specimen
  trunkfish - unique specimen
  spotfin butterflyfish
  gray snapper
  gag grouper