Freshwater Fisheries Management and Research
What We Do
DEC fisheries biologists and technicians perform many duties to manage the fish resources within New York waters. This includes:
- Evaluating the status of fish populations for enhancement or restoration.
- Conducting regular surveys to monitor the overall health of fish populations and to establish effective stocking and harvest policies.
- Managing 12 DEC hatcheries for annual fish stocking.
View videos on DEC's YouTube Channel to learn more about what we do
Find a Report or Plan
By Species
- Black Bass (smallmouth & largemouth)
- Inland Trout in Streams (brook, brown, & rainbow)
- Sunfish and Crappie
- Lake Sturgeon
- Muskellunge
- Sauger
By Management Region
DEC Management Regions
Each management region covers the inland lakes, rivers, and streams in their region/area as shown on the map. Fisheries staff in each region conduct research and surveys to help manage New York's freshwater fisheries.
- Region 1 (Long Island)
- Region 2 (New York City)
- Region 3 (Lower Hudson Valley | Southern Catskills)
- Region 4 (Capital District | Northern Catskills)
- Region 5 (Eastern Adirondacks | Lake Champlain)
- Region 6 (Western Adirondacks | St. Lawrence River | Eastern Lake Ontario)
- Region 7 (Central NY)
- Region 8 (West Central NY)
- Region 9 (Western NY)
- Great Lakes
Lake Erie || Lake Ontario
See Hudson and Delaware Marine Fisheries for migratory species management (striped bass, American shad, etc.)
Statewide
- 2023 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide Survey (PDF)
- Summary of Recreational Fishing Survey for 2020/2021 (PDF)
- 2017 New York Statewide Angler Survey
(results from the survey are provided in the reports below):
Angler Effort and Expenditures (PDF)
Angling Patterns, Preferences, and Attitudes Regarding the State's Freshwater Fisheries (PDF)
Angler Survey Results at the County Level (PDF)
Watch Us At Work
(Links redirect to video clips on DEC's YouTube Channel)
- Brook Trout: Preserving New York's State Fish
- Lake Sturgeon Restoration Effort
- Estimating Walleye Abundance Using Mark-Recapture
- Salmon River Hatchery Pacific Salmon Egg Collection
