Sponsoring projects that conserve and enhance Montana's waters and fisheries.
Why we started the Fund
At first, we helped other national conservation groups
As an industry and individually, fishing outfitters and guides support other national
organizations' research and management projects that protect Montana's
fisheries and river systems. We recognize our duty to support river
conservation, to give back to the rivers, streams, and lakes where we make
a living every day.
But, we wanted to connect with local conservation efforts
So, several board members of the
Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM), our parent organization,
formed this conservation fund with one simple purpose: bringing together our
interests and the friends who share them to sponsor local projects that will
conserve and enhance Montana's waters and the fisheries they nourish.
How do we get our funding and where does it go?
Membership dues and contributions, matched by selected foundation grants, pay for all of our projects. We focus on smaller, local projects with immediate, measurable effects. The bulk of our administrative overhead is covered by FOAM, so 95% of dues, contributions, and grants go directly to projects.
What kinds of projects do we sponsor?
Legitimate, carefully planned proposals to keep our rivers clean and free flowing, maintain healthy fish populations, and provide responsible recreation.
Topics for proposals we consider include:
- Negotiations for in-stream flows that keep fish eggs and fry healthy
- Water quantity maintenance and innovative irrigation techniques
- Screens on irrigation headgates to prevent fish migration and loss
- Streambank conservation through vegetation settlement and planting
- Annual streambank clean-ups
- Volunteer water quality sampling and testing
- Fish population studies and species sampling
- Native and protected fish species information and advocacy
- In-the-wild fish disease prevention and management
- River conservation workshops for elementary school students and teachers
- River or lake carrying capacity studies and modeling
- River use surveys to help set appropriate, effective recreation use levels