Abstract
The American shad (Alosa sapidissima) population in the Hudson River estuary in New York State is currently at an all time low. As a consequence, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has put together a recovery plan better to understand and manage the species. This thesis discusses how larval American shad utilize the current available habitat accessible to them and how habitat restoration projects may be used to increase high quality nursery habitat. We also examine the diet of larval fish in different habitats and how veligers are utilized as a prey resource. Habitat diversity was found to be important and has the potential to increase resiliency of larval shad. Although shad larvae consumed veligers in large quantities, their importance to year class strength of shad depends on temporal overlap of both species, veliger abundance, nutritional value of veligers and if shad can effectively digest veligers.