Herring Return to Bronx River

“Today we received news that our reintroduction of alewife herring to the Bronx River, after they had been gone for hundreds of years, was a success,” said Serrano. “The returning herring that was caught and released shows that our efforts over these many years to return the Bronx River to health have worked. It’s a great day for the Bronx environment.

“Three years ago, when we released those first herring into the Bronx River, I said that it was a symbol of rebirth. Today is perhaps more poignant, as we have creatures that were literally born and raised in the river returning to start a new generation. The rebirth is now real as it is happening independent of human intervention.

“Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated Parks scientists and community partners, we discovered fish returning to spawn a next generation – another great sign of the renaissance of the Bronx River,” said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Around the City, as one of the central initiatives of PlaNYC, we are opening up more of our waterfront to the public and restoring ecosystems to welcome long-absent species.”

“I was at an event this morning announcing a plan to plant hundreds of trees for future generations to enjoy across the city," added Congressman Serrano. "What a fateful coincidence that the fish we planted in our river came back on the same day. They are now implanted in our river for future generations to enjoy.

“The revitalized Bronx River is a symbol for the Bronx itself. We have worked over the past decades to rebuild and revitalize the borough, and each day it seems, we receive word of a new success story. We have come a long way, just like those little fish that we put in our river three years ago.”

The Rocking the Boat Job Skills Apprentices who found the first Alewife Herring along with NYCity Parks and Rocking the Boat staff were: Joshua Santana, 16; Shaquoia Gulley, 17; Marcus Caceres, 17; and Ashley Quiles, 17.

Anthony Archino - Rocking the Boat