People come from all over the world to fish the Madison River and people come from all over the area to float on its waters during the summer.
What does the future of Madison River recreational use look like? That’s a question the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is trying to answer.
Use of the river has increased considerably in recent years, and this has led to social conflict and calls for change.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission voted on Nov. 12 to initiate a scoping process to better understand the public’s feelings about appropriate management objectives for the river.
The part of the river under consideration for this scoping process is from Quake Lake to Ennis Lake, and from the lower end of the Beartrap Wilderness to the confluence with the Jefferson River.
FWP spokesman Morgan Jacobsen says the agency is asking the public to provide their opinions on the proposed Madison River Recreation Management Goal.
The department is also seeking public opinion on the various alternatives to dealing with four major recreational issues on the Madison River:
- Commercial Fishing Outfitter Management
- Social Conflict Management
- Lower River Recreational Use
- Angler Use Management
Jacobsen says the public comment deadline is Monday, Jan, 6 and comments can be made online.
