FWP Seeking Public Comment on Changes in Fishing Regulation

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) have been making their rounds along the Hi-Line looking for public comment and questions on a few regulation changes. Comments need to be in by May 31.

They made their stop in Glasgow last week and explained that there weren’t a lot of big changes in the works, and that has made for a fairly quiet public commenting period this year. Changes in our area, Region 6, include specifying more clearly the waters where use of live bait is allowed, prohibiting bow fishing for shortnose gar in the Fort Peck Dredge Cuts, adjusting the number of sauger in the combined daily catch and possession limit of walleye and sauger, applying standard regulations to Bearpaw and Beaver Creed Reservoirs and increasing the possession limit for lake trout.

The only change that might draw people to pay attention to is the implementation of a lottery tag allocation system for the Upper Missouri River paddlefish season. This will be a new way of doing things for paddlefish.

The entire eastern fishing district will require mandatory paddlefish harvest reporting and will also specify the fish species that can be used as live bait. This will be a smaller list of easily identified species.

“The goal is to utilize the species that are common and back it up with education,” Steve Dalbey, fishery manager for Region 6, said.

After the commenting period FWP will review comments from the public and will begin to draft specific regulations to address many of these ideas in early June for your consideration in July. Regulations will then be available for public review in August. If you have questions, concerns or want to put in your comments, contact the Region 6 FWP at 406-228-3700.