(1) The Department of Fish and Game was established under executive order by the Governor effective July 1, 1972. Its name was changed to Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks effective July 1, 1979. 2-15-3401, MCA, creates the department. Its functions are set forth in Title 87 and Title 23 and other MCA sections.

(2) Director. The Governor appoints the director of the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The director is the chief administrative officer of the department. The director oversees the development of department policy, planning, and management operations and has direct authority over all employees of the department.

(3) Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Commission. The Governor appoints the five members who serve for four-year terms until their successors are appointed and qualified. The Governor appoints the commission chairman. The commission is generally responsible for the hunting, fishing, trapping, and state parks rules of the department, rules for recreational use of department lands and waters, approval of land acquisitions, approval of the department's budget prior to submission to the governor through the budget office, and for the overall policy direction of the department.

(4) Functions of the department. The department has four primary programs: fish, wildlife, parks, and agency management, which are jointly developed and implemented by three divisions and seven geographic regions. The basic premise of this decentralized organizational structure is that division administrators are responsible for policy and program development. The regional supervisors assume responsibility for the daily activities of all regional personnel with the goal of assuring the proper implementation of department programs.

(5) Deputy director, chief legal counsel, lands/outreach coordinator, and human resources manager. The deputy director, chief legal counsel, lands/outreach coordinator, and human resources manager all report directly to the director. The deputy director is responsible for supervision of the divisions and the information services bureau, which provides information technology services to the entire department. The chief legal counsel is responsible for the operations of the Legal Unit, which provides legal advice and representation to the department and commission. The lands/outreach coordinator is responsible for the Lands/Outreach Unit and agency outreach efforts. The human resources manager manages a variety of human resource programs and services within the agency.

(6) Divisions. The Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks consists of the following divisions:

(a) Fish and Wildlife Division;

(b) Parks Division; and

(c) Finance Division.

(7) Division Administrator. An administrator heads each division. The division administrator is a staff officer who advises the director and deputy director on matters related to resource management, administration of resource programs, or special programs related to the division's area of expertise. Administrators are responsible for policy and program development.

(8) Fish and Wildlife Division. Within the Fish and Wildlife Division, the following functions are performed:

(a) Fisheries Bureau. The Fisheries Bureau manages and perpetuates Montana’s fish and other aquatic resources and, specifically, maintains optimum fish populations in Montana waters, and provides the diverse, quality angling opportunities that Montanans and visiting anglers demand. The bureau operates nine fish hatcheries, which are not decentralized and report directly to the bureau.

(b) Wildlife Bureau. The responsibility of the Wildlife Bureau is to protect, enhance, and regulate the wise use of the state’s wildlife resources for public benefit now and in the future. The bureau collects the scientific information necessary for managing all wildlife species and their habitats. This bureau also conducts wildlife research and habitat projects.

(c) Enforcement Bureau. The enforcement bureau enforces all fish, wildlife, and parks laws of Montana, department rules, and commission regulations. Bureau personnel also enforce state boating and snowmobile rules and regulations as well as private property laws and regulations as they deal with fishing and hunting.

(d) Communication and Education Bureau. The Communication and Education Bureau acts as a clearinghouse for disseminating information on department activities and news items to the media, serves as a contact point for the public requesting information on department business, conducts a variety of education and recreation safety programs, and conducts a variety of public use surveys.

(9) Regional Bureaus. The regional bureau chief is a line officer that is the director's representative in each administrative region. As such, the regional bureau chief is the chief administrative officer for that region. The bureau chief is responsible for the daily activities of all regional personnel with the goal of assuring the proper implementation of department programs. This responsibility includes authority for recommending to the director hiring and firing of personnel; direct supervision of work schedules; evaluation of regional fisheries, wildlife, enforcement, communication and education, and administrative personnel; coordination of work schedules; and monitoring and controlling assigned budgets. The bureau chief is responsible for developing and maintaining an effective network of communication between the director's office, regional personnel, other state and federal agencies, and the general public.

(a) Region 1 - 490 North Meridian Road, Kalispell MT 59901

(b) Region 2 - 3201 Spurgin Road, Missoula MT 59801

(c) Region 3 - 1400 South 19th, Bozeman MT 59715

(d) Region 4 - 4600 Giant Springs Road, Great Falls MT 59406

(e) Region 5 - 2300 Lake Elmo Drive, Billings MT 59105

(f) Region 6 - 54078 U.S. Highway 2 West, Glasgow MT 59230

(g) Region 7 - 352 I-94 Business Loop, Miles City MT 59301

(10) Strategic Planning and Data Services Bureau. The Strategic Planning and Data Services Bureau is responsible for the long-term agency strategic planning and data services management including GIS and GPS, comprehensive fish and wildlife conservation strategies, and agency leadership for energy, residential, transportation, and climate change issues. 

(11) Parks Division. The Parks Division is responsible for conserving the scenic, historic, archaeological, scientific, natural, and recreation resources in state parks while providing for their use and enjoyment. The program includes 50 state parks, 320 fishing access sites, and 9 affiliated lands such as rifle ranges and recreation sites managed cooperatively by other agencies. Other programs administered by the division include motorized and non-motorized trails and several community grants programs. Program and daily activities at all levels are directed and managed by the division administrator.

(12) Finance Division. The Finance Division is responsible for the overall direction for budgeting, federal aid, accounting, property management, purchasing, and licensing.

(13) Information or submissions. General inquiries regarding hunting, fishing, recreation, and specific questions involving environmental issues may be directed to the Communication and Education Bureau in Helena or the information officers in the seven regions. Specific information regarding major policies may be addressed to the director or a regional supervisor. Specific inquiries regarding functions of each division may be addressed to the respective administrators.

(14) Personnel roster. The director and division administrators can be contacted at 1420 East 6th Avenue, Helena, Montana 59620, phone 406-444-2535, fax 406-444-4952. Information regarding the department can also be found at www.fwp.mt.gov.

(15) Charts of agency organization. Descriptive charts of the department of fish, wildlife, and parks are attached as the following five pages of this rule and by this reference are herein incorporated.