and investigation has disclosed the fallacy of 

 this belief. This law has made violators out of 

 a great number of people. Therefore, it is rec- 

 ommended that the restriction on non-resident 

 license holders to ship or remove only one legal 

 limit of fish or game be repealed and that a 

 non-resident be allowed to ship the same quan- 

 tity of fish or game as a resident license holder. 



Fir^li Haltilal (:<Mi>«'r>alioii 



The biggest single factor causing a decline 

 in Montana fi.shing is habitat destruction. It is 

 a more important factor, for instance, than in- 

 creasing fishing pressure. To thrive, fish need 

 more than just water. Food, cover, spawning 

 areas, water quality and proper temperatures 

 must be provided. Considerable effort was 

 spent during the biennium to minimize habitat 

 destruction. This was largely spent requesting 

 cooperation from other agencies, for with the 

 exception of the pollution law enacted by the 

 1955 legislature, there are few statutes protect- 

 ing fish habitat. 



For example, highway builders, other pub- 

 lic agencies, or private individuals are free to 

 straighten streams or remove gi-avel from them 

 without mitigating the damage in any way, 

 and water users are under no compunction to 

 leave sufficient water in streams to keep them 

 alive, or to keep their return water silt free. 



Washington State, for one. has enacted 

 legislation requiring that persons, agencies and 

 others who would use, divert, obstruct or 

 change the natural flow or bed of a river or 

 stream or remove materials from the stream 

 bed, obtain approval from the State Fish and 

 Game Department. (Chap. 99. Ses.L "49: see 

 Game Code of State of Washington). Similar 

 legislation is needed in Montana since the Fish 

 and Game Commission is responsible for man- 

 aging the priceless fishery resource of the state 

 without having a word to say about what may 

 be done to the habitat of that resource. 



Piihlir I M' Kc<riilati<»ii» On lni|Miiiii(liiirii(« 



During the past tew years a need has de- 

 veloped for promulgating public use regulations 

 on impoundments of water which the Com- 

 mission operates under license from the federal 

 government. There is a need to set regulations 

 for public recreational use for impoundments 

 of water which the Commission constructs for 

 fishing purposes. Such regulations will be in 

 the interest of public safety, public health, pro- 

 tection of property and wildlife recreation. 



It is therefore recommended that the 

 Legislature grant authority to the Fish and 

 Game Commission to promulgate public use 

 regulations on ceitain impoundments of water 

 which it operates and to enforce the same. 



This in a nection of Flint Creek in Gianitc County 

 before highway conBtrutlion. Note the overliunttinK cover o( 

 foliage. 



