Key takeaways
- The main safety concern with eating Hudson River fish is contamination from PCB chemicals, which General Electric dumped into the river for 30 years and which cause severe, negative health impacts in people.
- Eating Hudson River fish can be safe in limited amounts, but it depends on where you fish, your age and whether you can become pregnant, and what you catch.
- Higher PCB levels build up in older, predatory fishes.
- PCB concentrations in certain fish species and in different parts of the river are not declining as quickly as expected; Riverkeeper is making sure the Hudson gets a thorough cleanup.
- You can see what fish and how much is safe to eat on Riverkeeper’s interactive Water Quality Portal.
For three decades, General Electric dumped millions of pounds of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson River, which contaminated the fish for hundreds of miles.
PCBs have been shown to cause cancer in lab animals, and the Environmental Protection Agency classifies them as “probable human carcinogens.”
Thanks to the continued advocacy of Riverkeeper and our partners, the Hudson is cleaner than it has been in years. However, GE’s PCBs are still in the river and can pose a health risk to people.
Can I eat fish from the Hudson River?
It depends on where you fish, your age and whether you can become pregnant, and what you catch.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has banned taking or eating fish from the Hudson River from Hudson Falls to Troy, NY.
In April 2026, the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) released new guidelines that allow people who can become pregnant (under age 50) and children under 15 (referred to as the Sensitive Population) to eat some fish from the lower Hudson River. This marked the first time in 50 years that this group could eat fish from the Hudson at all.
Everyone else (referred to by the NYS DOH as the General Population) has always been advised that they could consume limited amounts of some fish from the river caught between Troy and New York City.
Our Water Quality Portal shows you what fish it is safe to eat from the Hudson River watershed.
Are different fishes safer to eat than others?
Yes, certain species tend to have lower levels of PCBs based mostly on what they eat, how long they live, their habitat, and how much fat they have (PCBs build up in fat tissue). The safest species to eat are brown bullhead, striped bass, and yellow perch caught in the lower Hudson. But again, it’s important to check how much you can safely eat. We show you on Riverkeeper’s interactive map.
Can I eat fish from rivers connected to the Hudson?
Since many fish species move between the Hudson River and its tributaries, the same advice for eating fish caught in the Hudson generally applies to its connected rivers and streams.
How do fish get contaminated?
PCBs do not dissolve in water; they settle to the sediment at the bottom of the river. Creatures that live on or near the bottom eat the sediment, fish eat these creatures, and PCBs build up in the food chain, reaching levels hundreds of thousands of times higher than the levels in water. Larger, older fish – especially the ones that eat other fish – are generally more contaminated, since they’ve had more time to build up PCBs in their bodies.
These PCBs stay in the fat of fish. To reduce the amount of PCBs when eating fish, remove the skin and fat and cook it so that the fat drips off. For crabs, remove the soft, green substance and discard any cooking liquid, which contains most of the PCBs.
Can I get sick from eating PCBs?
High levels of PCB exposure in humans has been linked to a variety of negative health effects, including liver, kidney, and nervous system disorders, developmental and reproductive issues, and cancer.
Are Hudson River fish getting safer to eat?
PCB contamination in some fish is going down, but in other fish PCB levels are increasing or staying the same.
Fish consumption advisories don't necessarily reflect the effectiveness of the cleanup of PCBs in the Hudson. The river’s recovery from PCB contamination is uneven and behind schedule, and Riverkeeper will keep pushing for a comprehensive cleanup that protects humans and wildlife.
Are there other contaminants in Hudson River fish to worry about?
PCBs are the main contaminant in Hudson River fish from Hudson Falls to NYC. Cadmium and dioxin, and PFAS are also an issue for some lobsters and crabs.
Water Quality Portal
Use this interactive map to explore water quality throughout the Hudson River watershed with data that Riverkeeper and our partners collect. Dive into the health of the region's fish, when and where it is safe to swim and boat, how clean your drinking water is, and the impacts of climate change.
Related Campaigns
Hudson River PCBs
Without effective action, the health risks and impacts to those living, working, and playing within the 200-mile stretch of the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site will persist for generations to come
Saving Hudson River fish
Protecting iconic species vital to our local ecosystems
Emerging and unregulated contaminants
Toxic chemicals can harm the health of people, wildlife, aquatic ecosystems