By RICHARD ROTH

HUDSON-A study released last week by Riverkeeper, an environmental organization devoted exclusively to the health of the Hudson River, shows that many of the river's fish are in serious long-term decline and "at risk of collapse" unless quick and aggressive measures are taken.

The main culprits, says one river expert, are both the changes brought on by global warming and, more immediately, power plants along the river that withdraw huge amounts of water for cooling purposes, returning the heated water to the Hudson and disrupting the ecosystem.

Local fisherman don't necessarily agree on the extent of the problem, but they do see a major decline in fish populations in the river.

"Neither the ecosystem as a whole, nor many of the individual constituent species' populations, is in a healthy state," says the executive summary to The Status of Fish Populations and the Ecology of the Hudson, a study carried out for Riverkeeper by Pisces Conservation Ltd.

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