Volunteer with the Hudson River Estuary Eel Project
American eels (Anguilla rostrata) are migratory fish that are hatched in the Atlantic Ocean and enter rivers as tiny “glass eels” each spring. The species is in decline over much of its range, and baseline studies are needed for conservation.
Join a team of scientists, students, and volunteers as we collect glass eels using a net in Furnace Brook, a Hudson River tributary. Juvenile fish are counted, weighed, and released to better habitat upstream, often above dams. Come learn about the project, its goals, and what it takes to volunteer.
Teatown manages the Furnace Brook site as a part of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s American Eel Research Project. This requires mostly outdoor field work from late March through May, with very flexible schedules. Volunteers are able to explore local wildlife in the great outdoors while working collaboratively within a team.
