MADISON COUNTY — Last week, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced the Friday Madison River Recreation Management meeting would be postponed until August.
Friday’s Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting was supposed to be an opportunity for FWP to present the draft Environmental Assessment to the Fish and Wildlife Commission, and take public comment.
“Well, the Madison Rec rules for now are dead in the water. We hope we can revive in late summer or fall,” said Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Patrick Byorth.
In the document were a number of alternatives for managing commercial use and recreation on the river.
But not everybody was on board with having the discussion in the midst of a pandemic.
“There are people that are absolutely fighting for their economic survival right now,” said Mac Minard, executive director with the Montana Outfitters & Guides Association.
“And to pile on with a proposal that will do nothing but reduce outfitted tourism in their community is to take a major step backwards.”
Groups like the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM) say delaying the meeting kicks the can further down the road.
“With over 200,000 user days, climbing up to 300, at some point, I think we all agree that it’s being overused and overloved. And at that point I think you’ll see those businesses crash and crash hard,” said FOAM Board President Jason Fleury.
But those supporting a rescheduled meeting, including a number of small businesses in Ennis, don’t feel the same way.
Others view the delay as a missed opportunity for collaboration and sacrifice.
“We’ve been working together across political lines, anglers, sportsmen and women, business owners, outfitters and guides. So many people dedicated so much time into crafting something that isn’t perfect but we really wanted to get it out for a broader dialogue,” said Byorth.
You can read FWP’s press release here: http://fwp.mt.gov/news/newsReleases/commission/nr_0283.html
