Montana Fish Chief Resigns

Photo: USDA NRCS Montana/Flickr

Montana’s chief fisheries biologist Eileen Ryce resigned abruptly at the beginning of August, as reported by Amanda Eggert of the Montana Free Press. Ryce’s departure is the latest in a long line of resignations from the Fish, Wildlife, and Parks agency, which according to Eggert’s reporting, has increased since Greg Gianforte became governor of Montana.

Ryce resigned after she was placed on administrative leave for an unspecified reason.

“In a letter dated Aug. 1, 2024, Ryce briefly referenced what she called ‘baseless allegations’ that purportedly motivated department leaders to put Ryce on administrative leave three months ago,” Eggert reported.

Eggert’s reporting goes on to describe the friction within FWP over recent years, including a quote from Ryce that’s telling of how much political influence the governor’s office has on the agency.

“Ryce also said that while she’s still confused about department leadership’s actions, some onlookers’ frustration with what they describe as increasing politicization of the agency is a ‘fair conclusion to make,'” Eggert reported.

It’s worth your time to read the entire article, as Eggert’s reporting is thorough, balanced, and offers an insight into some of the goings-on in FWP at the moment. You can read the story here.