For the WAC

Concise Explanatory Statement
New Combination Licenses
Rules created as part of this rulemaking:
WAC 220-55-165 Reduced rate annual Fish Washington license, and license upgrades.
1. Background/Summary of Project:
a. To better serve our customers, the new rule was proposed to make the purchase process more convenient for residents and seniors as well as to allow residents an opportunity to upgrade from an annual freshwater, saltwater, or shellfish/seaweed license to an all-inclusive combination license.

2. Reasons for adopting the rule:
a. The department believes that combination fishing licenses it will increase participation in all angling activities, improve retention of customers, and grow revenue opportunities for the department.
b. Supporting information for the new rule:
i. Fish Washington: A survey was conducted to find out if customers would be likely to purchase a fishing combination package. Out of 7,024 responses, 54.7% stated they would be likely to purchase the package.
ii. Combination Upgrade: Pilot program for the upgrade was available in 2014 from May 21st – July 20th and led to over 2,000 upgrades sold.
iii. Senior Upgrade: 23% of residents purchase a combination license, but once they become seniors at age 70, they option is no longer available and the number seniors that purchase all components of the combination license (annual freshwater, saltwater, and shellfish/seaweed) drops to 11%.
3. Differences between the text of the proposed rule and the rule as adopted:
a. Change: Section one (1) add “residents”.
b. Change: Section two (2) remove “non-residents disabled vets”, remove “razor,” and add, “plus transaction and dealer fees. The director may limit the times of the year that this upgrade is made available for sale.”
c. Change: Section three (3) remove “seventy years of age and older”
4. Public comments, response to comments, and consideration of comments
a. Two public comments were received and both supported the proposed

and the rational

NEW SECTION
WAC 220-55-165 Reduced rate annual fish Washington license, and license upgrades. (1) There is hereby created an annual fish Washington license for residents that combines recreational freshwater and saltwater fishing, shellfish, and seaweed harvest privileges. The fee for the annual fish Washington license will not be priced higher than the sum of the individual items. The fish Washington license also includes the following: (a) The Columbia River salmon and steelhead endorsement; (b) A Puget Sound Dungeness Crab endorsement; and (c) A two-pole endorsement. (2) The director is authorized to allow any Washington state resident who has purchased an annual freshwater, saltwater, or shellfish/ seaweed license to upgrade to a combination license for the cost difference between his or her current annual fishing license(s) and the cost of the combination license, plus transaction and dealer fees. The director may limit the times of the year that this upgrade is made available for sale. (3) There is hereby created an annual senior combination recreation fishing license which includes freshwater and saltwater fishing, shellfish, and seaweed harvest privileges. The state fee for the annual senior combination fishing license will not be priced higher than the sum of the individual items and is available to any senior residents