We’ve shared about the current discussion ongoing over the fate of the beloved Madison River in Montana many times before, as well as shared at length here on Chi Wulff over the years about various challenges by mis-directed factions attempting to undermine, or destroy, Montana’s much-admired stream access laws.
Count me among those who fear those same efforts to disrupt access to please a wealthy few are alive and well in the Madison Valley today.
There’s a great deal of maneuvering going on behind the scenes regarding the Madison process, some of which would shock open access advocates; some of this behavior is in fact being conducted by those who by their position have pledged to behave otherwise, though by available evidence are furthering the interests of privatization zealots.
PLEASE READ AND SIGN (if you’re in agreement) this petition today, written and originated by a team of men and women who love the Madison, and happen to live, work, and fish in Ennis and the surrounding area.
NOTE, my intent here is NOT to impugn the process being led by Montana’s FWP team.
Sadly, this may be one of the most critical insults to access in Montana that we’ve seen in decades.
From the petition –
The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission formed a Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (NRC) to develop a proposed plan aimed at addressing perceived overcrowding on the Madison River. The ten-member committee is tasked with forming a plan over the course of eight scheduled meetings to present to the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission by April 2019.
On February 1, 2019, Lauren Wittorp, executive director of the Madison River Foundation and a member of the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee, issued a newsletter that included the following recommendations for the proposed plan:
Ban glass containers
Walk-in/wade-only section from Quake Lake to Lyons Bridge
Personal watercraft ONLY from Ennis town site to Ennis Lake
No commercial use from Grey Cliffs to the Jefferson River from June 15 – September 15
Cap the number of commercial days
We are not opposed to the proposal for the ban on glass containers, though we fail to see how the ban on glass containers will help reduce perceived crowding. A cap on commercial days, however, could take many forms and we would need a more specific proposal to consider lending our support. Guides play a major role in promoting safety and conservation on the river and their value cannot be understated. We cannot support the other three proposed recommendations, which would only bottleneck anglers into a smaller area—exacerbating any perceived crowding, limit public access, and negatively impact the Madison River ecosystem. These consequences are in direct opposition to the Madison River Foundation’s mission: Preserve. Protect. Enhance…
…The Madison River Foundation’s recommendations would reduce public access and lead to further disturbance and erosion along our cherished resource. We cannot support the goals of the foundation’s current executive director, which directly contradict the organization’s own mission statement as well as our Montana values. Our beloved Montana Stream Access Law has been challenged repeatedly over the years by individuals seeking to privatize their property on our public rivers. The foundation’s proposals would undoubtedly result in additional legal challenges by Montana groups and citizens. If the Madison River Foundation chooses to support our Montana Stream Access Law and refocus its efforts toward its own mission of preserving, protecting, and enhancing the Madison River, we would be happy to show our support.
If you feel you or your business can agree with this letter, please show your support by signing on.
