Amendment to Madison River Recreation Management Plan awaits commission decision
BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission held a public hearing to change the starting date for capping commercial use on the Madison River in southwest Montana.
The commission settled on a recreation management plan in December for Montana’s busiest river. Part of the management plan is to start capping outfitted fishing trips in January. But the appointed work group that will determine how to divide commercial trips among outfitters on the Madison River isn’t formed yet.
"We're very supportive of the extension for issuing this rule as the working group will talk through some of these tough management issues on the Madison,” Bureau of Land Management field manager Amanda James said.
The plan caps outfitted fishing trips at 2019 levels, the busiest commercial season on record. The commission is concerned that the group will not have enough time to develop the allocation system. It proposes pushing the start date of the cap back a year.
The commission is accepting public comment on the proposed start date change until Friday. It will make a decision June 4.
