MTAFS 2026 Annual Meeting
The 58th annual meeting of the Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
MTAFS 2026 Annual Meeting
The 59th annual meeting of the Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
February 10-13, 2026
Fairmont Hot Springs
Register for the Meeting
Schedule at a Glance
Full Agenda
Call for papers, posters, and symposia!
Use this Submission Form link to submit abstracts/symposia.
*Deadline for titles is December 1, full abstracts due January 15!
For Hotel Reservations: call the Fairmont reservation line at 800.332.3272 and ask for the American Fisheries Society room block.
Group Code: 31781
The theme for the meeting is Through the Looking Glass. If you have any ideas for symposia/panels, please email Eileen your thoughts. The theme is intended to be thought provoking. Think about questions and topics such as:
Recruitment. Are we successful at recruiting a new generation of conservationists, anglers, biologists, administrators? Are recruitment programs being monitored effectively, efficiently, at all? Analogies to wildlife programs such as “Roosters for Recruitment”.
Should/do we manage for populations or individuals?
Are drought restrictions effective? Should the State be making more Water Right Calls?
Front facing sonar: is it the future of fishing? Does front facing sonar provide “screen time” for younger generations while recreating in the outdoors? Does front facing sonar remove fair chase?
You can’t change the past (or can you?) but we can learn from it.
Treatment/removal of invasive species. Is the treatment worse than the alternative? Can species be recovered? Can invasive species be efficiently/effectively removed?
What are we doing and are we being honest with ourselves?
Any questions related to the meeting should be directed to Eileen Ryce at ryceeileen1@gmail.com; 406-980-1260.
2026 Montana AFS Continuing Education
The Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society will be offering two continuing education courses at the 2026 Chapter meeting. These courses will be held on February 10 and are intended to advance both technical and professional skills.
MEPA/NEPA
Whether your work focuses on research, monitoring or management, almost every fisheries professional in Montana is eventually involved with the Montana Environmental Policy Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Intended to assess the environmental impacts of proposed projects and disclose these impacts to the public, these laws provide a decision-making framework for resource managers. Originating in the 1970’s these laws are regularly updated and modified by regulators in Helena and Washington DC.
De-Escalation Training
Montanans are very passionate about their natural resources. Combined with strong personal values and the current
divisive climate, emotions often run high. Tense situations can often be diffused to promote a safe and productive
outcome. De-escalation is a learned skill. This training will cover communications, behaviors and body language
necessary to calm emotions, prevent dangerous situations and assure productive communication.