Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is implementing hoot-owl restrictions prohibiting fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight on seven rivers starting July 22 due to rising water temperatures. The restrictions protect fish during periods of high environmental stress and angling pressure.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission approved modifications to the 2026 fall Chinook salmon fishing season across multiple Snake River and Clearwater River fisheries. The daily bag limit remains three adult fall Chinook, but anglers may now keep only one unclipped adult per day due to lower forecasted wild Chinook numbers. Fall Chinook seasons open August 18.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirmed non-native brown trout in Ashley Lake and Church Slough, urging anglers to kill and report catches to FWP Region 1 at 406-752-5501. Fisheries biologist Kenny Breidinger emphasized the threat to Flathead fisheries and the importance of angler reporting for rapid response.
The Gulf Council is requesting feedback from active fishermen about red snapper trends in the Gulf through its Fisherman Feedback Tool. Responses are due by August 21, 2026, and will inform scientists and managers conducting a stock assessment on red snapper.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will conduct annual maintenance at the Grove Trout Rearing Station near Royal during late July and early August, which may temporarily cause stained water and increased aquatic vegetation in East Verdigre Creek below the facility.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began accepting applications on July 15 for the Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity (ABRO) Permit for the October 2026 wild oyster harvest season. A total of 127 permits will be distributed through random lottery to qualified Florida residents with recreational saltwater fishing licenses.
The Gulf Council is developing an Amendment to establish electronic reporting requirements for federal for-hire reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic vessels. The Council invites public feedback through virtual hearings on August 13 and 17, 2026, where vessel owners and operators can learn about proposed trip declarations, electronic reports, and economic data submissions.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks implemented hoot-owl fishing restrictions and one complete closure beginning July 15 on the Big Hole, Gallatin, East Gallatin, Jefferson, Madison, and Ruby Rivers in response to warming water temperatures that threaten trout survival.
Utah's Blue Ribbon Fisheries program allocated over $446,000 toward 13 projects to enhance 41 designated waterbodies. Key projects include Jordanelle Reservoir habitat enhancement with Utah State Parks and Muskies Inc., Panguitch Lake hypolimnetic siphon installation, and Duchesne River bank restoration, funded through fishing license sales and partnerships.
Idaho Fish and Game will close Chinook salmon fishing on the Upper Salmon River from Valley Creek to the Sawtooth Hatchery weir at the end of fishing hours on July 15. Fishing remains open on the Lochsa River and South Fork Salmon River.
NOAA Fisheries announces federal waters 9 to 200 nautical miles off Texas will reopen to shrimp trawling on July 15, 2026, at 30 minutes after official sunset. The closure allows brown shrimp to reach larger, more valuable sizes and prevents waste of undersized catch.
Idaho Fish and Game released approximately one million kokanee fingerlings in June from its first captive broodstock program, which raises kokanee to adulthood in hatcheries to stabilize annual stocking numbers. The program, managed by State Hatchery Production Manager Beau Gunter, aims to eventually produce three million fingerlings annually and was modeled after the successful sockeye salmon hatchery program.
Beginning July 8, the Chinook salmon fishing season on the South Fork Salmon River will increase from four days per week to seven days per week to increase the likelihood of reaching the harvest share as water levels drop and temperatures rise.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department stocked nearly 12 million walleye fingerlings statewide, with approximately 11 million raised at Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and 1.1 million at Valley City National Fish Hatchery. Additionally, 1.1 million northern pike fingerlings were stocked into 37 waters statewide.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks implements hoot-owl restrictions starting July 11 at 2 p.m. on the Sun River, Lower Madison River, Madison River above Hebgen Reservoir, and Lower Beaverhead River. Fishing is prohibited from 2 p.m. to midnight daily to protect fish during warm water temperatures that increase disease susceptibility.
The 2026 recreational bay scallop season in Pasco County opens July 10 through August 18 in state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco County line and north of Anclote Key Lighthouse. Harvesters must follow daily bag limits of two gallons whole scallops or one pint of meat per person, with vessel limits of 10 gallons or four pints per day. A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless exempt or wading from shore.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is holding virtual workshops on July 14 and 16 to gather public input on proposed saltwater fishing regulations for cownose rays, including recreational and commercial bag limits. FWC staff will recommend final rules to the Commission in August based on feedback received.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists led by Sam Bourret used otolith geochemistry to identify which Swan River basin tributaries produce the most surviving bull trout, revealing that redd counts alone don't accurately predict population contributions and providing crucial data for targeted conservation efforts.
The Gulf Council will hold a meeting of its Standing and Shrimp Scientific and Statistical Committees on July 21-22, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. The SSC will review new methodologies for estimating shrimp trawl bycatch, discuss the Fisheries Integrated Modeling System peer review results, and examine Gulf king mackerel landings and tilefish data.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University report record-low hypoxia volumes in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem from May to late June 2026, with drought conditions reducing nutrient pollution. Early June recorded the lowest hypoxic volume ever measured for that period, with conditions aligning with the Chesapeake Bay Program's seasonal forecast predicting hypoxia 31% below long-term average.