New York Fish Stocking
Agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
| Annual stocking count | 1,873,980 fish/yr (2025) |
|---|---|
| Source | New York State DEC — 2025 Spring Trout Stocking (dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7739.html); open dataset on data.ny.gov "DEC Fish Stocking". |
| Species stocked | Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, Landlocked Atlantic Salmon, Walleye |
Top stocked waters
| Water | Note |
|---|---|
| Lake Erie | ~500,000 trout stocked (NY DEC, 2025). |
| Lake Ontario | ~750,000 trout/salmon stocked (NY DEC, 2025). |
| Catskill tributaries | Wild and stocked trout streams. |
| Adirondack ponds | Brook trout fingerling plants. |
DEC stocks close to 1.9 million catchable-size brook, brown, and rainbow trout each spring (1,873,980 in 2025), plus extended/yearling stockings across ~309 lakes/ponds and ~2,900 miles of streams. Twelve DEC hatcheries raise trout, salmon, walleye, muskellunge, and lake sturgeon. Stocking lists are published openly on data.ny.gov.
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State agency & contact
Licenses, regulations, and stocking are set by the agency below. When FishFig can’t verify a figure, contact them directly.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
FishFig is an independent guide and is not affiliated with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Verify every figure with the agency before purchasing a license, keeping fish, or relying on stocking data.