Rather than having the state pay for the bounty, maybe there is a commercial market that can be identified and will buy them. For example, maybe crab bait, fertilizer, dog food, etc. I really don't know, but that would be much more sustainable than a government run program.

Does anyone know what is done with the fish from the Columbia under the bounty program? How much does the state pay for the fish? What does the state do with the fish?

There would be an issue with "commercial fishing" for the squawfish but if the proposed commercial fishery would (a) reduce mortality in endangered species and (b) have a $0 cost to the state, then it might be an attractive program for the state to get behind.