River Recreation Council Recommendations Are In

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Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ River Recreation Advisory Council’s recommendations are completed and in use, as FWP works on a policy to manage recreation on the state’s rivers.  

The group submitted its 33-page "Recommendations for Managing Recreation on Rivers and Streams in Montana" to the FWP Commission earlier in July.   The recommendations include a set of 25 guiding principles and a decision-making framework FWP can use to identify interest, existing conditions and river recreation management alternatives.

“These recommendations will help us take the next steps toward developing a statewide river recreation management policy,” said Charlie Sperry, FWP’s river recreation management specialist. Sperry said he expects a proposed policy to be available for public comment by early next year.   The new policy will guide regional and river-specific decisions and management actions.

In the document, the council suggests that any river management policy should:

*      recognize that rivers are a priority resource in Montana;

*      seek a balance between a quality experience and unlimited uses on Montana’s increasingly popular rivers; and

*      provide opportunities for a variety of recreational uses.

The recommendations also provide discussions on the pros and cons of river recreation permit systems, the need for funding, and how river recreation management dollars might be spent.  

The council was appointed by the FWP Commission last summer and consists of a diverse group of 22 citizens representing resident and nonresident anglers and boaters,   outfitters, tourism, landowners, the Montana Legislature, and the FWP Commission.

“Despite their differences, I think the council members discovered they had a lot in common when it came to how they wanted to see rivers managed,” Sperry said.   “This council worked hard to identify reasonable, equitable solutions FWP could use to address crowding and other social conflicts on rivers.”

A copy of the River Recreation Advisory Council’s recommendations can be obtained on the River Recreation page at http://www.fwp.state.mt.us/riverrec/default.asp , or by calling 406-444-3888.