Post by: jackelope on August 05, 2011, 04:44:11 PM
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/ (http://wdfw.wa.gov/)
August 5, 2011
Contact: David Giglio, (360) 902-8128 or
Joe Stohr, (360) 902-2650
Most fishing, hunting license fees increase Sept. 1
OLYMPIA - Starting Sept. 1, the base cost of most Washington hunting and fishing licenses will increase.
This is the first general recreational license fee increase in more than a decade.
The 2011 Legislature approved the new fees to help meet rising costs and a shortfall in revenue for managing hunting, fishing and the fish and wildlife populations that are the focus of those activities.
Not all license fees will increase, and some will decline, including those for youth, seniors and persons with disabilities. New license fee prices are available on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/license_fees.html (http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/license_fees.html) .
"The new fees are critically important in maintaining fishing and hunting opportunity and make it possible for the department to fulfill its dual mission of conserving species while providing sustainable fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation across the state," said WDFW Director Phil Anderson. "The fees reflect the cost of managing specific fisheries and hunts, and are competitive with fees charged in neighboring states. At the same time, we made an effort to encourage broad participation through youth and senior discounts."
The new fees are expected to generate about $8 million annually for activities that support hunting and recreational fishing. Recreational license and permit revenue is used to manage fisheries and hunting seasons, produce trout and steelhead for recreational fisheries, enforce regulations, monitor fish and game populations and help maintain wildlife lands.
Revenues from the license fee increase will replace a temporary 10 percent license sale surcharge that expired in June, and will fill a projected deficit in the account that funds fishing and hunting activities. Without the license fee increase, WDFW would have been forced to make major cuts in hunting and fishing seasons and opportunities.
"Fishing and hunting contribute more than $1.4 billion a year to the state’s economy, benefitting local communities, small business owners and the people they employ," Anderson said. "Maintaining fishing and hunting opportunity is vital to Washington’s economy and quality of life."
Post by: Jerome on August 05, 2011, 04:58:48 PM
Post by: jager on August 05, 2011, 05:03:46 PM
:bdid:
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on August 05, 2011, 05:21:58 PM
Post by: Machias on August 05, 2011, 06:29:26 PM
Post by: mkcj on August 05, 2011, 06:40:23 PM
Post by: Sneaky on August 05, 2011, 07:49:45 PM
Yea, they said that extra permit category revenue would go into expanding access to private lands. Is that what they call the grande ronde vista hunts? it was a way for them to market a private lands hunt and make more money on the applications! Is our money going into expanded access for those who paid for it? I think not.
Its flat wrong that a single penny of license fees would go anywhere outside of the department in my opinion. It's almost enough to make a guy stop hunting in Washington. I wonder how high it will go before people start quitting and the entire economy suffers. High fees will produce increased lawlessness, which will produce lessened quality of animal populations, which will produce increased need for enforcement, which will produce the need for more funding. Can't they see this?
I have a strange feeling that my crackhead welfare neighbors are chowing down on about 215 dollars of my license fees.....
Post by: marty on August 05, 2011, 08:02:35 PM
Post by: huntnfmly on August 10, 2011, 01:00:49 PM
Post by: Special T on August 10, 2011, 01:11:02 PM
Post by: bobcat on August 10, 2011, 01:13:47 PM
Post by: singleshot12 on August 10, 2011, 01:28:55 PM