The Marine life of New York Harbor refers to variety of aquatic plant and animal species in New York Harbor in the vicinity of New York City. A popular misconception holds that the harbor is largely devoid of marine life. In reality, it has supported a great variety of species throughout its history and continues to do so today.

Animal species

Fish Species

• American eel anguilla rostrata
• Atlantic needlefish strongylura marina
• Atlantic sturgeon acipenser oxyrinchus

Found in the depths of Upper New York Bay, in the main channel of the Hudson River

• bluefish pomatomus aaltatrix
• gizzard shad dorosoma cepedianum
• eastern oyster crassostrea virginica

Once widely found through much of the harbor and a staple of the local diet from the time of the Algonquins up through the 19th century. Oystering grounds were prevalent in the Upper Harbor, as well as along the south shore of Staten Island and Jamaica Bay. The oyster still exists in the harbor but is not considered edible.

• striped bass morone saxatilis

One of the most prevalent species in the harbor, and the most extensively fished one.

• white perch morone americana
• blue crab callinectes sapidus

The crabs are typically found in the mouth of the Hudson River.

• atlantic starfish asterias forbesi
• horseshoe crab limulus polyphemus

Mammal Species

• harbor seal phoca vitulina
• grey seal halichoerus gryphus

Historically both pinniped species were abundant natives in the harbor until hunting and other human activity extirpated them from the area by at least the late 19th century. In recent years, however, these two species, along with the harbor porpoise, and even some more typically northerly seal species like the harp seal have been occaissionally found in the harbor in pursuit of some of the species mentioned above.