Quiet Waters petition rejected

The Quiet Waters Initiative, a set of proposals to limit motorized boating on some segments of rivers and streams throughout Montana, was unanimously rejected by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission following a more than four-hour hearing Friday.

Commissioners, however, directed Fish, Wildlife and Parks to revisit some of the restrictions set forth in the petition, which was originally brought before the five-member, governor-appointed board last year by Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, a conservation-minded sportsman group based in Montana.

With three members of the commission appointed to their positions within the last six weeks, the panel initially considered extending the public-comment period another six months, which would have required the public-comment process to start over.

Citing the overwhelming opposition to the proposed stream rules, however, they ultimately voted to deny the initiative, while suggesting that some portions of the sweeping proposal merited further consideration.

Commission Chair Dan Vermillion spoke to the “divisive” nature of the debate, which pitted conservationists against those favoring less restrictions on motorized water and land access.

“However, the one thing we do share is we believe public land should be accessed by the public,” Vermillion said in his comments before the vote. “... People like to make fun of wildlife watchers, but you know it doesn’t matter to me why you’re out there. It just matters to me that you’re out there.”

He echoed comments from other commissioners that many of the initiative’s opponents had criticized the restrictions without offering specific suggestions, adding, “The idea of just being opposed to management, it’s not a very long-term strategy and it risks losing what we have in this state.”

Jim Williams, the director of Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Kalispell office, said afterward that he expects the new department director, Martha Williams, to direct staff to quickly begin considering some of the less controversial regulations. But, he added, those rules affecting waterways in Southwest Montana, like the Yellowstone and Clark Fork rivers, would likely take precedent.

“Southwest Montana seems to have the most use,” Jim Williams said. “Here in Northwest Montana, we don’t have the ‘drift-boat’ constituency as much as other regions.”

Proponents of the rules characterized them as a safety proposal directed toward the higher-use areas in recreation hot-spots in the southern parts of the state. They argued that motorized and non-motorized boaters using the same waters have increasingly come into conflict with one another.

In Northwest Montana, the most controversial proposals included extended personal-watercraft and wake restrictions in the Swan, Whitefish and Stillwater Rivers. Many commenters also objected to a proposed closure to jet-skis on the Flathead River between the its confluence with the South Fork and the Montana 35 bridge.

Williams also noted that whatever direction is given to the department moving forward, any new restrictions will still have to head through a separate public-comment process before they are enacted.

Friday’s hearing was the culmination of a year-long process kicked off when the commission voted unanimously to give the Quiet Waters Initiative its first green light in May 2016.

The move wasn’t an outright endorsement of the petition, but only directed Fish, Wildlife and Parks to begin drafting up a set of proposed regulations to enact the set of proposals.

During seven public hearings held across the state at the end of last year, a resounding majority of those who provided comments argued that the initiative would limit access to public lands most easily accessed by boat. Many also noted that motorized restrictions on water bodies would effectively limit access for elderly residents and persons with disabilities.

Tom Healy of Whitefish is a regional board member for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. During a break in Friday’s hearing, he said his group had been mis-characterized by many initiative opponents as an “out-of-state” special-interest group.

“The organization is truly made up of hunters and anglers and is committed to high-quality fair-chase experiences,” Healy said. “If we have a special interest, our interest is in higher-quality hunting, angling and outdoor recreation experiences — especially related to public lands and having access to public lands.”

Commission meetings are broadcast to each of the seven regional offices by video, allowing members of the public to provide comments live. Kalispell had the highest regional presence, with about 20 people speaking from the lectern during the public-comment portion of the hearing.

Many panned the initiative on the grounds that it would restrict access to many hunting and angling spots, and effectively preclude less able-bodied water users from using major river corridors.

Mark Weed, a member of the local Walleyes Unlimited chapter, argued the proposals would have a negative impact on the local economy, which gets a major boost from wealthy, out-of-state visitors during the summer recreation season.

“It’s worth millions of dollars to the Flathead Valley to have these people come and use our waterways,” Weed said. “When the rules start changing, they have enough money they can go anywhere.”

Proponents of the measure were well in the minority during Friday’s hearing, with initiative opponents outnumbering supporters about three to one, both in Kalispell and statewide.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.