Madison River Work Group to hold first meeting Sept. 8 in Bozeman

BOZEMAN – With a focus on improving fishing access sites and reviewing the history of efforts on managing recreation on the Madison River, the Madison River Work Group (MRWG) will hold its first meeting in Bozeman on Sept. 8.

The 12-member work group was organized by the Fish and Wildlife Commission, per an administrative rule and will be chaired by commissioner K.C. Walsh.

The group’s first meeting will review the administrative rule, the goals and schedule for the group. The MRWG is broadly charged with providing recommendations to the Fish and Wildlife Commission for the allocation of commercial-use trips, development of a process to permit new outfitters on the Madison River, draft rule language to address all recreational use on the Madison River, including the walk/wade and rest/rotation sections, and develop consequences for permit violations.

The key focus of the agenda for the first meeting will be to develop recommendations for improvements to fishing access sites on the Upper Madison River.

The meeting will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the FWP Bozeman office at 1400 S. 19^th Ave.