From the Madison River Foundation re: Important Madison River Management Meetings
June 13 Madison Recreation Management Plan Citizens’ Committee
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ seven-member Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) will meet in Ennis, 3 pm on Wednesday, June 13th at the El Western Conference Center. The CAC is drafting a recreation management plan for the Madison River.
The CAC’s second meeting is set for 3 pm to 9 pm, Wednesday, June 13 at the El Western Conference Center in Ennis The meeting is open to the public and time for public comment will be available.
The CAC’s first meeting, held in Bozeman last week, dealt mostly with organizational issues. Little of substance was addressed during that inaugural meeting. We urge all those interested to attend this Ennis meeting of the CAC.
Foundation Co-hosts State of the River Public Meeting June 20th
The Foundation will co-host a public meeting in Ennis at 7 pm, Wednesday, June 20th on the state of the Madison. The meeting will take place in the Madison Valley Public Library. PPL Montana is co-hosting the meeting along with the Foundation.
Representatives from PPL Montana will be on hand to discuss such matters as the ongoing work and Hebgen Dam, river flows and temperatures, the requirements of the utility’s federal operating license, and its monitoring and conservation work on the Madison. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials also will be on hand to discuss the health of the fishery and answer questions.
From Montana TU re: Swan Lake and River Bull Trout Management
JUNE 15 IS THE DEADLINE FOR COMMENT ON THE SWAN LAKE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT. IF YOU HAVE NOT COMMENTED, PLEASE CONSIDER COMMENTING NOW!
TELL FWP YOU SUPPORT CONTINUED NETTING OF LAKE TROUT AT SWAN LAKE IN ORDER TO PROTECT BULL TROUT AND OTHER SPORT FISH!
Fish Wildlife and Parks has prepared an environmental analysis that recommends continuing a program to reduce non-native, predacious lake trout at Swan Lake in order to protect one of the nation’s most important bull trout populations as well as an important sport fishery for kokanee salmon.
TU members and other anglers from across Montana need to tell FWP they support netting efforts at Swan Lake because it has great promise for protecting bull trout in Swan Lake and the Swan River watershed. Success in this project will also provide valuable insight for similar efforts to reduce the harmful effects lake trout are having on native trout elsewhere, including in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
Here’s what you can do:
Email Leo Rosenthal (Region 1 Fisheries Biologist) at lrosenthal@mt.gov TODAY, OR no later than June 15, and simply tell him in your own words:
- You support continued suppression of lake trout in Swan Lake.
- You greatly appreciate the work done by FWP and its partners thus far and that too much good progress has been made to stop now.
- You support alternative B in the current Draft Environmental Assessment for the Extension of Lake Trout Removal in Swan Lake but that the recommended suppression efforts should cover a 10-year time period, subject to a review after five years.
- If you have experience catching bull trout anywhere, especially in the Swan watershed, tell him.
