Montana river recreation focus of upcoming workshops

State wildlife officials are slated to host three public workshops this week to discuss the future of river recreation.

The workshops will happen online on Sept. 3, 5 and 9. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials will hear input on river recreation issues to better inform management recommendations moving forward, according to Deb O’Neill, acting Parks and Outdoor Recreation Division Administrator at the state wildlife agency.  

“We recognize that we have accessible rivers and streams and lots of activities occur on those ... and the popularity of our rivers and streams, naturally, has led to conflicts among users,” O’Neill said. “While I think all parties agree on protecting the aquatic resources, there is debate and disagreement on how to do that, so we really want the public to be a part of developing the answers.” 

From fishing and boating to floating and swimming, all river recreators are encouraged to join the discussion, O’Neill said. The input gathered will be used by the River Recreation Advisory Council, which will come back with recommendations for how to manage the activities moving forward.  

“We really want this to be a holistic look at all the rivers and streams in the state, which has never happened before,” O’Neill said.  

Ahead of the meetings, many river recreators and businesses in Northwest Montana said that education was an important aspect of safe recreation.  

“I think that a lot needs to be focused on information for the users who are coming up: leave no trace, how to dispose of human waste properly, how to be respectful of other river users,” said Glacier Guides and Montana Raft owner Denny Gignoux.  

It is important to be respectful of the ecosystem and river resources, he said. 

Gignoux also suggested better designations for vehicle access points to prevent non-designated camping and less traffic on the water’s edge.  

Other recreators have concerns about current management, as increased congestion continues to take hold in summer months.  

“Historically, this was a rich spot for recreation opportunities, but it’s gone downhill,” said Bigfork Anglers owner and outfitter Jason Lanier. “Both forks of the Flathead are monopolized, held down by permit owners. Realistically, the majority of the outfitters and guides in the Flathead are all shoved into 20 miles of river.”  

While that wasn’t always an issue, he said, the boom of people since the Covid-19 pandemic has made fishing more difficult due to crowds.  

He also suggested that the advisory council look at jet boat regulations in the summer months, whether that be enforcing the current rules better, like not to have a wake near a fisherman, or to ban them from sections of river in summer months.  

“A family with a couple of kids should be able to easily find a place in the Flathead Valley to go and catch a couple of fish,” he said. “And that’s just not the case anymore.”

The advisory council membership list should be released soon, as membership was solicited this summer via applications. The council will focus on managing river recreation activities, consider protecting natural resources and ensuring “high quality experiences for all river users across Montana,” according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.  

The virtual workshops start on Sept. 3. While not required, registration is recommended, and attendees can register at https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/commission-councils-committees/river-recreation-advisory-council under “Public Virtual Workshops.” 

The three workshops will be from 6-7:30 p.m. on their respective nights.  

For those unable to attend live, the workshops will also be streamed on the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks YouTube page.  

“We really just want the public to be a part of the solution. Even though we work and see it every day and we may think we know what the issues are, we really want to hear it from the public,” O’Neill said.  

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.