Written by Justin Park|
Last updated
Hunters used to have a hell of time not trespassing or otherwise breaking the rules hidden in pages of regulations that govern hunting. Digital mapping tools such as onX and BaseMap have made ignorance almost inexcusable, given that you can use GPS to check your location and find information such as property ownership and hunting unit information with a click.
Clarity on legal access and permitted activities on the water has lagged way behind land, however. The recently-passed MAPWaters Act aims to provide the same ease of compliance to anglers that hunters have enjoyed for at least a decade.
President Trump signed the bill the day after Christmas but there’s been little coverage of the news. This is likely because federal agencies have 5 years to implement the changes, so boaters and anglers may not see the benefits for years.
The Problem with Water-Based Access Information
It might seem hard to believe, but in 2026, it can be incredibly difficult to find clear answers about the legality of access and activities on public waters. As a hunter, angler, and spearfisherman, I am intimately familiar with the disparity between land- and water-based regulation information availability.
While I can confidently walk into National Forest lands to hunt, knowing apps and online maps will give me clear guidance on boundaries and rules, I could spend hours trying to figure out where and how I can go spearfishing or launch my boat.
While there can be plenty of uncertainty when e-scouting land — Is this gate going to be open? Can I e-bike on this trail? — the situation is much murkier on the water. The reason for the disparity isn’t totally clear, but is likely tied to the many different agencies and layers of regulation on water.
While much of the revolution in land-based hunting information availability happened through private sector innovation, the 2022 MAPLand Act mandated federal agencies digitize road, trail and land access information. The MAPWaters Act follows the same playbook, hoping to bring boating and fishing up to speed with the advances made on land.
What MAPWaters Will Do
The MAPWaters Act applies to five separate federal land and water managing agencies: the Bureau of Reclamation, the Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. As of the signing of the bill, the feds have 30 months to develop interagency standards for data regarding “public outdoor recreational access of Federal waterways and Federal fishing restrictions.”
The hope is that boaters, anglers, and divers will eventually be able to “know before they go” using online resources to determine access points and permitted activities. Instead of calling federal agencies for clarification, showing up to a body of water hoping for clear signage, or simply guessing, public water users should be able to find information online or through third-party mapping apps.
The feds have 5 years to complete the digitization and standardization called for by the MAPWaters Act, so change is likely still a long way off, but with the passage of the Act, anglers can take comfort that clarity is coming to their public waters.
Justin Park is a Colorado-based writer, editor, and avid hunter with a passion for the outdoors. He contributes to leading publications such as GearJunkie, Popular Mechanics, Powder, and Men's Journal, and serves as Editor of Wild Snow. Park is deeply involved in conservation and recreation advocacy, serving as Chapter Chair of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) in Summit County. He also represents RMEF on a state recreation committee focused on proactively addressing land use conflicts.