Hudson River Leads the Way in Community Science

Each spring, something remarkable happens along the East Coast. Transparent, thread-like glass eels wriggle their way from the Sargasso Sea to estuaries like the Hudson River. It’s a mighty feat for a little eel—about 1,000 miles—and it would go unnoticed by most if not for the efforts of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (HRNERR) and their partners. Thanks to their leadership, thousands of New Yorkers have participated in one of the country’s most successful community science efforts.

The Hudson River Eel Project, founded in 2008, engages students, educators, and volunteers across the Hudson Valley in monitoring this annual upstream migration of glass eels. Coordinated by the Reserve and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) the project combines rigorous data collection with inclusive, hands-on learning.

A study published in Fisheries confirms what the project’s partners have long known: community science is a process that generates meaningful data that supports fisheries management, informs conservation, and fosters a spirit of environmental stewardship. The study evaluated more than a decade of eel data collected at six core sampling sites. Notably, the project’s volunteer-gathered dataset was included in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) 2023 Benchmark Stock Assessment, a rare example of community science directly informing coastwide fisheries management.

“We make sure that the data volunteers collect match what the ASMFC and the NYSDEC need for their assessment,” states Chris Bowser, lead author and Reserve education coordinator. “It gives the state a broader look at an important species, and it gives volunteers the chance to be real scientists in their own neighborhood.”

To ensure scientific integrity, accessibility, and long-term engagement, the Reserve and its partners have developed a robust quality assurance plan, standardized training protocols, and strong relationships with schools and local organizations. Volunteers don waders, check fyke nets, and record data—often for the first time—under the guidance of seasoned educators and scientists.

This approach to community engagement has had ripple effects beyond science. Thousands of participants, many from economically disadvantaged school districts, report gains in scientific knowledge, environmental interest, and confidence in outdoor spaces. Several alumni have gone on to careers in ecology, education, and conservation. 

Ecology Research Technician Jisun Reiner participated as a high school student. “I had no idea that holding a handful of glass eels would lead me to a life of loving and playing in wetlands!” Reiner went on to develop her own Eel Project for the Nantucket Conservation Foundation in Massachusetts. “Sometimes, all it takes is holding a glass eel.”

In a time when environmental monitoring is more important and resource constrained than ever, the Hudson River Reserve is showing how community science can bridge the gap.