VIDEO: ‘Powerful Surprise’ Found in the Hudson River

An environmental watchdog group recently shared a video from the Hudson River that they called both a "surprise" and a "powerful" reminder of the reason for their hard work.

Efforts to clean up the Hudson River have been going strong for decades, with groups like the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and Riverkeeper leading the charge. Recently, something very special was caught on camera.

Conservation Efforts on the Hudson River

One of the efforts of conservation groups is to monitor the health of native species. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, for example, tracks the fascinating journey of glass eels as they make their way up the Hudson River each year.

Conservation Group Sees "Special Spawning Surprise" in the Hudson River

While the recent video shared by Riverkeeper (below), doesn't have to do with tiny translucent eels travelling over 1,000 miles to the Hudson Valley, it was a positive sign that the organization called a "spawning season surprise".

Spawning River Herring Spotted in the Hudson River

As they shared, spying the small river herring on the banks of the Hudson River was taken as a sign that conservation efforts were making an impact for the important species:

Once abundant, #riverherring populations have declined due to habitat fragmentation from dams and roads, overfishing, pollution, and other environmental pressures. That’s why sightings like this are so powerful—they signal that restoration efforts are working.

The Hudson River is important for the fish, the NYS DEC notes, because it is where adult river herring, who mostly live off the coast of New York, go to start the next generation. With populations experiencing a "spiraling decline", every spawning sighting is vital.

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Perhaps counterintuitively, one way New York residents can help local fish populations is by purchasing fishing licenses, which funnels money towards conservation efforts. There are also free fishing days throughout the year in New York State (below).