Americans love this nation’s rivers. The evidence is all around us:from the ever increasing whitewater market to the escalating sale of rods and reels; from the increase in land prices along rivers to the development of river trails. This love of the rivers sometimes leads to confusion or conflict over the public rights and priveliges of use for kayakers, canoers, and rafters who float on the nations waters. However, it leads to even greater difficulties and conflicts for fishermen who have to wade through murky waters of navigability law to detemine whether they are allowed to touch the streambed, or use the shore for their preferred pastime.
The result is that American Whitewater’s Access Toolbox is generating a loud buzz among hunters and fishermen, as well as our traditional members. For instance, Fishing and Hunting News is featuring our navigability and liability research pages in the March/April 2003 issue.
American Whitewater has also been approached by fishermen and asked for, and provided, our expert and strategic advice on issues related to: opening access to lakes in Mississippi; approaching landowners for stream access in Minnesota; assisting in the development of streamflow release regimes from dams to improve fish habitat and health in California and Washington; guiding the placement of logs and other large woody debris to facilitate fishery health and promote safe river recreation in Oregon and California; and assisting with having a river declared navigable in Oregon.