DEC Releases Proposed Amendments to Certain Trout Stream Regulations

 

Draft Changes to Regulations to Align with DEC’s Trout Stream Management Plan, Protect Wild Populations, and Optimize Fishing Opportunities on Certain Waterbodies 

Deadline for Comments is Sept. 9

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced the release of proposed changes for select trout stream regulations to align with DEC’s Trout Stream Management Plan to protect wild populations and optimize fishing opportunities for anglers to catch trout on certain waterbodies, including on Long Island, along the Southern Tier, in the Hudson Valley, and other regions. DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposed amendments through Sept. 9, 2024.

“DEC released the New York State Trout Stream Management Plan in 2020 as part of the State’s ongoing work to manage and restore trout populations while creating and improving recreational opportunities for anglers,” Interim Commissioner Mahar said. “The proposed regulation changes released today reflect DEC’s commitment to oversee New York’s trout stream resources in an adaptive fashion that responds to changing needs and I encourage anglers to review the proposed amendments and share their comments with DEC.”

The New York State Trout Stream Management Plan established categories to clearly define fisheries management objectives and help anglers find their preferred trout stream fishing experiences. These include management of trout stream stocking, catch-and-release allowances, season length, and segments of streams, known as reaches, that share physical and biological characteristics that influence its ability to support trout and trout angling opportunities for the public.

Highlights of the proposed regulations include:

• Creating a wild-quality reach on Camden Creek;
• Creating a stocked-extended reach on Ischua Creek;
• Shortening stocked-extended regulations on Cayuta Creek, Goose Creek, and Wappinger Creek;
• Eliminating stocked-extended regulations on Cayadutta Creek and West Branch Limestone Creek;
• Clarifying that inland trout stream regulations apply to Nassau and Suffolk county streams;
• Aligning the catch-and-release brook trout season with the brown and rainbow trout season on the Carmans River; and
• Extending the brown and rainbow trout season to year-round on select Suffolk county tidal streams.

The full text and a summary of the proposed regulatory changes are available on DEC's website.

DEC is interested in anglers' viewpoints and encourages public feedback on these proposals. Comments should be submitted via e-mail to regulations.fish@dec.ny.gov with the subject line "Trout stream regulations" or via mail to the Inland Fisheries Section, NYSDEC, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753. Comments will be accepted through Sept. 9, 2024.