Senator Asking For Washington Hunter, Angler Input On Fee Increases

[Ridgeratt]

Senator Asking For Washington Hunter, Angler Input On Fee Increases

By Sen. Kirk Pearson
As chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and Parks Committee, I get a first look at new plans and budgets from the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. With each new budget year, there are usually many new ideas for how to spend the state’s money on projects or programs that they believe will help us maintain the fishing and hunting opportunities that make Washington such a great state for hunters and fishermen.
This year the Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing new increases to our fishing and hunting license fees.

SENATOR KIRK PEARSON (WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE)
According to the Department, these costs are expected to help increase production at hatcheries, such as 700,000 coho at Marblemount and Wallace hatcheries, as well as other projects that seek to enhance Washington’s natural resources and maintain the ongoing operations of the department. Many of these are ideas that could be beneficial. However, we need to count the cost before we start writing the checks.
The costs are significant. Overall, recreational and commercial fishing license fees will increase by an average of 30 percent. Recreational licenses for saltwater salmon, freshwater trout, and shellfish license would increase from $55 to $75. Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead licenses will go from $38 to more than $64. Saltwater salmon and sturgeon licenses from $30 to $55. An average angler could see fee costs increase by double or triple.
Hunters also will pay for the new spending with fees that will increase by 10 percent on average. A migratory bird permit will go from $15 to $25. A deer, elk, bear and cougar big game hunting license will increase from $85 to $93.
All these increased fee amounts are just for residents. For non-residents, the price increases are much higher, possibly presenting problems to our tourism industry.
This session I will be holding a public hearing on the department’s proposal for increased license fees.  Knowing that most of our hunters and fishermen cannot make the trip to Olympia to testify, I would like to know your opinions on the merits of this proposal.
Please send your comments directly to me at Kirk.Pearson@leg.wa.gov or by mail to my Olympia office at PO Box 40439, Olympia, WA 98504. You can find more details about the proposal on my website, www.SenatorKirkPearson.com.
Sen. Kirk Pearson is the chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and Parks Committee and represents the 39th Legislative District. He resides in Monroe.


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[huntnphool]

Screw that, start issuing tickets to all the Subarus parked at trail heads without the required permits/passes, that should more than make up for the difference in revenue if this doesn't go through.

[head hunter]

I'm with fool on this, we already have some of the highest hunting fees in the nation and some of the worst managed deer herds, and salmon rivers. If they keep raising prices they will for sure run off a lot who are already on the fence. Permits for all who enjoy our natural resources, not just the ones who pull a trigger or bait a hook.

[Bob33]

With all due respect, and Senator Pearson is as deserving or more deserving than any other politician in Washington, what does he expect us to say? Sure, we'd love to pay more for hunting privileges.

[Miles]

Just remember how those "temporary" increases went a few years back.  I believe there was quite the thread on it and you could probably find it by searching posts from Bigtex.

[huntnphool]

 So they lure us in to accepting the fee increase for the promise of hatchery improvement.......only to have those hatchery programs shut down later buy the "purists".....no fu¥#ing thank you!

[Pinetar]

Screw that, start issuing tickets to all the Subarus parked at trail heads without the required permits/passes, that should more than make up for the difference in revenue if this doesn't go through.

  You see this all the time, I've seen 6 to 7 all together and no passes.

[Alchase]

Are they planning to clip those 700,000 supposed coho?

And are they going to turn those hatcherys over to the tribes to turn them all into pinks in just a couple years like the Carbon/Puyallup system.?

[Special T]

Kirk is my state senator so I'll follow this closely. I would love to be able to relay some well thought out points.

Here are a few of my un refined points.
1 Enforcement leadership is horrible and Unworthy has done nothing to resolve it.
2 I am unwillingness pay more for less and no longer fish and have paired back my hunting license permits as a result.
3 The department protects predators.it should be promoting predator hunting.
4 sportsmen came to the aid of the WDFW to prevent a DNR, parks wdfw merger a few years ago. For our support we have had less say it what is going on.
5 no one Trusts the wdfw to keep its word.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Get your monies from the other user groups. The Sportsman have been bent over far enough for too long.

[cooltimber]

I e-mailed my  .just one more reason to move to montana or idaho

[Curly]

Special T, was Unworthy a autocorrect or a purposeful misspelled word for unsworth? Doesn't really matter though cuz I like the ring of it.

[huntnphool]

Special T, was Unworthy a autocorrect or a purposeful misspelled word for unsworth? Doesn't really matter though cuz I like the ring of it.

 You really have to ask?

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Instead of hitting hunters and fishermen again, they could start charging clam diggers to buy a Discover Pass. The beaches are a State Park but are specifically exempted from the Discover Pass regulation.

[Miles]

Special T, was Unworthy a autocorrect or a purposeful misspelled word for unsworth? Doesn't really matter though cuz I like the ring of it.

 You really have to ask?

I think wa may be competing with California to see who can charge the most...

Thankfully I'm leaving California, and if wa keeps up with their shenanigans I may have some land for sale in Spokane country.