On today's This Week in Fish and Wildlife, FWP’s Morgan Jacobsen tells our Chet Layman that there are 4 opportunities for the public to comment on fish-related issues currently being looked at by FWP.
According to Jacobsen, FWP currently prints its fishing regulations every year. The public can comment on a proposal to change that to every other year. Jacobsen says that will allow for more public input from regulation book to regulation book. He says there will be a comment period on this from August 26th to September 22nd. Jacobsen also says FWP currently reviewing its fisheries management plan, and there will also be public comment on this at a future date.
Jacobsen says there are also two Madison River fisheries issues that the public can comment on as well. He says the first is a proposed change to a plan that would institute a commercial use cap on the Madison at the beginning of the season in 2023. Jacobsen says there is now a proposal to delay that until several other portions of that plan can be completed. Public comment is currently being taken on that, and FWP will hold a virtual public meeting on that on August 2nd.
The other topic on the Madison is looking at suggestions coming from the 12-person Madison River Work Group. These include a new commercial use permit for the Madison as well as the possibility of a mandatory but unlimited permit for all recreation on the Madison River. Jacobsen says this would potentially give FWP a better look at the true use of the river in an effort develop better plans for the use of the River. He says all of these can be found on the FWP website, fwp.mt.gov.
