Featuring...The Hudson River Fishermen’s Association

     Fall is a fabulous time for fishing and members of the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association (HRFA) are sure to be on the waters.  The HRFA represents the interests of recreational anglers along the river.  The club’s objectives are “to encourage the responsible use of aquatic resources and protection of habitat.”

     “In the mid-1960s, a diverse group of hearty fishermen banded together to fight for the Hudson River.  Through craft and determination, they set a course against the accepted standards of the hopelessly polluted waterway,” said Gil Hawkins, who works on environmental issues for HRFA.  “The battle to clean the river has become the rallying cry to clean streams, estuaries, and oceans.”

     The struggle continues with many polluters, large and small, up and down the river.  One major polluter, General Electric (GE), is dragging its feet to clean-up millions of pounds of PCBs it dumped into the river (see inside article).  The HRFA has been a leading voice pressing for the cleanup.

     “The Hudson is a limelight microcosm of the global pollution issue.  With America’s largest city as a witness, the river has gotten cleaner,” said Carl Bruger, HRFA President.  “GE can honor that progress by moving forward with the cleanup.”

     The HRFA is also active with various public awareness programs and projects, including fish tagging, public access, and habitat protection. 

In addition, the club informs and updates members on laws on fisheries and the environment.

     With the obvious connection to coastal waters, HRFA is also a long-time friend of the ocean, fighting to close the Mud Dump Site, opposing sand-mining proposals, and, now, supporting legislation for the Clean Ocean Zone.

     For more information about HRFA, monthly meetings, membership, and programs, visit www.hrfanj.org.

Portions adapted from HRFA website