Map from Riverkeeper website
shows 2014 mortality in red,
2013 in blue
OSSINING – The Riverkeeper environmental organization is asking the National Marine Fisheries Service to investigate and take immediate action in response to a “shocking spike” in reported deaths of Atlantic and Short Nose Sturgeon in the Hudson River in the vicinity of the new Tappan Zee Bridge construction.
Both are on the endangered species list.
Riverkeeper boat captain John Lipscomb said while there is no direct
proof that the fish are being killed as a result of construction activity,
they would like an investigation conducted.
“Since hard proof on actual cause of mortality is difficult with fish, we want a precautionary principle to be applied here,” Lipscomb said “We think that one must assume that the probability of a link between the project and the mortality and instead of just watching the numbers go up, we should act.”
That action could include lowering the boating speed limit in the area to 5 miles per hour.
Lipscomb said in the three years prior to bridge construction, there
were six sturgeon fatalities throughout the estuary reported to the state
DEC. In the three years since construction began, there were 76.
