Fish Advisories for New York City & Marine Waters

NYC boasts exciting freshwater and marine water fishing opportunities. All fresh waters in NYC are catch and release only. Waters like the Upper Bay, rivers and kills are closer to industrial centers and have been more impacted by chemicals. For families looking for a fish meal, the ocean, Long Island Sound, Coney Island, and Jamaica Bay are all good choices.

For Long Island Freshwaters, search by county or use the alphabetical list.

Advisory Tables

Upper Bay, Rivers, and Kills

Mapicon
Waterbody 1 (County)		 fish icon
Fish		 men & older women icon
General Population
 Women and Kids icon
Sensitive Population
 Chemical of Concern icon
Chemicals of Concern

East River to Throgs Neck Bridge2,3
(Queens, New York, Kings, Bronx)

Harlem River2,3
(New York, Bronx)

Hudson River2,3
(New York, Bronx)

Upper New York Bay, north of Verrazano Narrows Bridge2,3
(Kings, New York, Richmond)

White perch Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
White catfish DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs
Striped bass Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
Rainbow smelt Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
Goldfish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
Gizzard shad DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs
Channel catfish DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs
Carp Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
Blue crab meat Up to 4 meals/month (six crabs per meal) DON'T EAT PCBs, Cadmium
Crab or lobster tomalley and cooking liquid 2 DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium, PFAS
Bluefish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
Atlantic needlefish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs
American eel 4 DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs
All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs

Raritan Bay, west of Wolfe's Pond Park2,3
(Richmond)

 White perch DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Striped bass Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Rainbow smelt Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Gizzard shad DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Blue crab meat Up to 4 meals/month (six crabs per meal) DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium
Crab or lobster tomalley and cooking liquid 2 DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium, PFAS
Bluefish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Atlantic needlefish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
American eel DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin

Arthur Kill2,3
(Richmond)

Kill Van Kull2,3
(Richmond)

Newark Bay2,3
(Richmond)

 White perch DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Striped bass DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Rainbow smelt Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Gizzard shad DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Blue crab meat Up to 4 meals/month (six crabs per meal) DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium
Crab or lobster tomalley and cooking liquid 2 DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium, PFAS
Bluefish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
Atlantic needlefish Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
American eel DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin
All other fish Up to 4 meals/month DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin

Bays, Ocean, and Sound

Mapicon
Waterbody 1 (County)		 fish icon
Fish		 men & older women icon
General Population
 Women and Kids icon
Sensitive Population
 Chemical of Concern icon
Chemicals of Concern
Atlantic Ocean 2,3
(Nassau, Queens, Suffolk)

Block Island Sound 2,3
(Suffolk)

Gardiners Bay2,3
(Nassau, Queens, Suffolk)

Jamaica Bay2,3(Nassau, Kings, Queens)

Long Island Sound2,3
(Nassau, Westchester, Queens, Suffolk, Bronx)

Long Island South Shore,2,3 excluding tidal portions of Carmans River, Forge River, and Quantuck Creek (Nassau, Queens, Suffolk)

Lower New York Bay, south of Verrazano Narrows Bridge2,3
(Kings, Richmond)

Peconic Bay2,3
(Suffolk)

Raritan Bay, east of Wolfe's Pond Park2,3
(Richmond)

 Weakfish Greater than 25", up to 1 meal/month; Less than 25", up to 4 meals/month Greater than 25", DON'T EAT; Less than 25", up to 1 meal/month PCBs
Striped bass Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month PCBs
Crab or lobster tomalley and cooking liquid 2 DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium, PFAS
Bluefish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month PCBs
American eel Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month PCBs
All other fish and crabs Follow the FDA guidelines.
Carmans River, tidal portion from Southaven Park Dam to Beaverdam Road (Suffolk)

Quantuck Creek, tidal portion between Old Ice Pond and Quioque Point (Suffolk)

Forge River, tidal portion from Montauk Highway Dam/West Millpond Dam to Masury Point

 Weakfish Greater than 25", up to 1 meal/month; Less than 25", up to 4 meals/month Greater than 25", DON'T EAT; Less than 25", up to 1 meal/month PCBs, PFAS
Striped bass Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month PCBs, PFAS
Crab or lobster tomalley and cooking liquid DON'T EAT DON'T EAT PCBs, Dioxin, Cadmium, PFAS
Bluefish Up to 4 meals/month Up to 1 meal/month PCBs, PFAS
American eel Up to 1 meal/month DON'T EAT PCBs, PFAS
All other fish and crabs Follow the FDA guidelines. Up to 1 meal/month PFAS

The sensitive population refers to people who can become pregnant (the age of 50) and children under 15. The general population refers to everyone else.

1  The specific health advisories for the waters listed above also apply to tributaries (for example, Gowanus Canal and Newtown Creek) and connected waters if there are no dams, falls, or barriers to stop the fish from moving upstream.

2  DON'T EAT the soft "green stuff" (mustard, tomalley, liver, or hepatopancreas) found in the body section of crabs and lobsters from any waters because cadmium, PCBs, and other contaminants concentrate there. As contaminants are transferred to cooking liquid, you should also discard crab or lobster cooking liquid.

3  Check the NYS DEC website for updated marine regulations and special restrictions for certain species. Please note that all fresh water bodies in New York City parks are catch and release only and are not regularly monitored for contaminants. For more information visit: NYC regulations.

4  No eels may be possessed for food in the East, Harlem, and tidal Hudson Rivers. Visit the NYS DEC Marine Regulations website for updated regulations and special restrictions for certain species.

The public is also reminded that all New York City waters are closed to shellfishing (harvesting of clams, mussels, oysters or scallops).

Maps

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New York City Area Map

Map of the New York City Region

Long Island Marine Waters Map

Map of Long Island Marine Waters