Freshwater Fishes of LI

From small, rarely seen species of darters to large game fish like salmon and muskellunge, New York's waters are home to an incredible variety of freshwater fish species.

Over 165 fish species inhabit the state's 7,800 lakes and ponds and 52,000 miles of rivers and streams, providing New York with one of the richest fish faunas in the nation.

The following list is of the freshwater fish that appear on Long Island 41 species divided into 16 families. The list and comments on how common the fish may be or whether they are stocked in LIs waters comes from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Lampreys - Petromyzontidae

American brook lamprey (Lampetra appendix)
Rare, only documented from a few stream systems. Freshwater resident. Native.
Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Present in most freshwater streams. Anadromous. Native.

American brook lamprey (Lampetra appendix)
Rare, only documented from a few stream systems. Freshwater resident. Native.
Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Present in most freshwater streams. Anadromous. Native.

Eels - Anguillidae

American eel (Anguilla rostrata)
Common in almost all freshwater bodies which connect to marine waters. Catadromous. Native.

Herrings - Clupeidae

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)
Present in some freshwaters that connect to marine waters. Anadromous. Native.

Catfishes - Ictaluridae

Black bullhead (Ameirus melas)
Rare, was stocked in a few western LI ponds. Freshwater resident. Introduced from midwest.
Brown bullhead (Ameirus nebulosus)
Common in most waters on LI. Freshwater resident. Native.
Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Rare, reported from a few scattered ponds on LI. Freshwater resident. Stocked in Hempstead Lake in 1996. Introduced from midwest.

Suckers - Catostomidae

Creek chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus)
Rare, only found in one or two drainages on LI. Freshwater resident. Native.
White sucker (Catostomus commersoni)
Rare, isolated individuals have been caught. Native to New York, but not Long Island.

Minnows - Cyprinidae

Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Present in many waters on LI. Freshwater resident. Introduced from Asia.
Grass carp (Ctenopharyngnon idella)
Stocked in various LI waters for aquatic vegetation control. A permit is required to stock this species and the only variety allowed are sterile triploid fish. Introduced from Asia.
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Common in most waters on LI. Freshwater resident. Introduced from Europe
Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
Common in many waters on LI. Freshwater resident. Native.
Bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus)
Rare on LI. Freshwater resident. Native.