The Hudson River Foundation Announces $750K Award to Advance Sturgeon-Vessel Strike Research in New York Harbor
New York, N.Y. (August 12, 2026) — The Hudson River Foundation has awarded $750,000 through the Sturgeon Net Conservation Benefit (SNCB) Program to support new research aimed at better understanding and reducing the risk of vessel strikes to Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon in New York Harbor. An interdisciplinary team of academic and federal scientists, led by researchers at Miami University, will examine sturgeon movement and habitat use in the Harbor’s navigation channels and analyze vessel traffic patterns to assess the likelihood of sturgeon-vessel interactions. Findings will be used to help inform potential conservation measures for these federally protected species.
According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, vessel strikes are a primary threat to the New York Bight distinct population segment of Atlantic sturgeon. Despite this risk, information on the scale, timing, and spatial patterns of sturgeon-vessel interactions in the Harbor remains limited, and no sturgeon-specific vessel-strike mitigation measures have been implemented to date.
To address this gap, the research team will collect high-resolution spatial data on sturgeon and vessel positions while developing modeling tools to assess vessel-strike risk. The resulting insights will help the researchers evaluate potential mitigation measures and inform discussions among agencies, industry partners, and other stakeholders regarding navigation channel management and future sturgeon conservation efforts.
“Protecting sturgeon in one of the nation’s busiest waterways requires a clear understanding of how these species move through and use New York Harbor, as well as where and when they may be most vulnerable,” said Jonathan Kramer, President of the Hudson River Foundation. “This project will enhance our knowledge of sturgeon movement and behavior across the Harbor and deliver the first quantitative assessment of the spatial and temporal patterns of sturgeon-vessel interactions. That knowledge will help us turn a longstanding scientific question into tangible options for reducing collision risk.”
The SNCB Program supports research to better understand and protect Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon in New York Harbor and the Hudson River. Launched in 2025, the program was developed by the Hudson River Foundation in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and sturgeon researchers across the region to address key knowledge gaps and build the scientific foundation needed to guide sturgeon conservation, management, and recovery across our waterways. The program is funded through agreements with entities requiring DEC permits for projects that may affect sturgeon using and moving through the Harbor and into the Hudson River.
“For years, DEC has monitored sturgeon populations throughout the Hudson River and New York Harbor, including documenting evidence of vessel interactions and their impacts,” said DEC’s Division of Marine Resources Director Martin Gary. “By improving our understanding of how sturgeon use New York Harbor and interact with vessel traffic, this project will provide scientific information to support effective conservation and management strategies for these critically endangered species. The work will help ensure New York’s natural resources are managed using the best available science while contributing to the long-term resilience of the Harbor ecosystem.”
“Because sturgeon are dependent on both freshwater and marine environments, they must navigate complex and constantly changing environments to fulfill life history requirements. In busy commercial ports like New York Harbor, the flow of vessel traffic through these migration corridors makes understanding sturgeon-vessel interactions especially important, but also extremely challenging given the dynamic nature of this system,” said Tyler Wagner, the Miami University Eminent Scholar in the Department of Biology, of the Miami University research team. “By bringing together detailed information on sturgeon movements, habitat use, and vessel traffic data, along with the knowledge of people who work in and manage the Harbor, we hope to identify meaningful patterns and develop practical tools that enable agencies, maritime operators, and other partners to explore proactive, data-driven stewardship of sturgeon.”
The Foundation funded the first project under the SNCB Program in 2025, awarding $1,000,000 to a research team from Stony Brook University to study the unique features of the Rockaway Atlantic Sturgeon Aggregation Area and sturgeon use of this important habitat. The research from this award will support consideration of the area for specific marine habitat protections. Through these awards, the Foundation will engage with the research teams, state and federal resource agencies, industry partners, and other stakeholders to develop science-based options for sturgeon conservation.
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Hudson River Foundation: For over 40 years, the Hudson River Foundation has supported scientific research and engagement that has informed decision making to enhance the Hudson River, estuary, and watershed. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire and inform action through science and engaging people to enhance the Hudson River, estuary, and watershed.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s mission is to conserve, improve, and protect New York’s natural resources and environment and to prevent, abate, and control water, land, and air pollution in order to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well-being. Visit their website for more information.
