Legislation was introduced Thursday for the first across-the-board increase in Washington hunting and fishing license fees in 14 years.

House Bill 1387 would result in an increase in revenue from hunting licenses of 7.3 percent, 12.6 percent from sport-fishing licenses and 51.4 percent from commercial licenses.

Rep. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, and Rep. Bruce Chandler, R-Granger, are the prime sponsors. The measure was introduced at the request of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma, is expected to introduce a companion measure in the Senate today.

"This legislation is our top priority for this legislative session,'' said Phil Anderson, director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Its outcome will greatly determine this department's ability to maintain fishing and hunting opportunities and move forward with conservation efforts around the state.''

A resident freshwater fishing license would jump from $26 to $29.50 (13 percent) and a .... http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/jan/20/hunting-fishing-license-fee-increase-legislation-i/

No issues with the increases proposed.

At first blush this seems to indicate that commercials are being hit extremely hard - especially in comparison to recreational consumers of our public resources.

That initial perception is misleading because commercial users have never paid a price comparative to that of recreational users - and the proposed increases do not bring comparability!

Case in point: In 2010 there were 247 Puget Sound commercial crabbers who paid $130.00 for a license that allowed them to fish up to 100 pots; total license revenue to the State: $32,110. That allowed a commercial operator access to (2005-2009 average) 2,766,034 pounds of crab at license fees totally just over a penny a pound. WDFW reports that the average ex vessel (price paid to fishermen) was around $2.69 per pound.

In 2010 some 212,694 sport crabbers paid $395,131 just in Puget Sound endorsements for access to 1,266,971 pounds of crab or $.31 per pound. If you add the $12.00 shellfish license the gross revenue is over $3MM but using just $3,000,000 the per pound pro rata license cost is $2.37.

So if the commercials are currently paying $.01 per pound and their revenue costs are increased 50% or half a cent and rec crabbers are paying $2.37 a pound and their license costs go up 12.6% or 30 cents guess who is, again, paying a disproportionate share?

Where is this leading?

My position is make the commercials pay a comparable price to extract a public resource.

Also, it is simply insane to want more money in license fees AND want to disband the Commission which is our access to decision making affecting wildlife decisions.

Finally, despite the above comments I personally am willing to pay more but want to retain my access to decisions via an empowered Commission.

Ditto on eveything Larry has laid out!!!!! And a finer point also needs to be made and hopefully the purposed legislation should be amended to include correcting our Salt Water License Fees from running through the General Fund "Sheep Dip Process." That way it (the fees) become more politically independent (not totally, but close).

I predict this flying through the legislature rather quickly and with little opposition.

No problem from where I sit.

Id like to get more details. Across the board for kids and seniors might be a bit much. Im thinking bell curve.

Larry, you have hit a homerun again, please increase my license fee's as needed but the Legislature must retain the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Agree with JQ also, put our license money where we can see it, not in the General Fund. Also the legislature should keep their hands off funds that are set aside and charged to sportsmen as in the 7 million dollar rip off of our boat ramp and access money from the RCO last year. If we sportsmen could actually organize and start getting on the same page we could do something instead of just bitching.

+1 for the increase.
-1,000,000,000 for not increasing the commercials enough.
why am I even surprised. the whole place is out of wack.
and keep the commision.

I agree with all of the above.

It sad that the agency has waited 14 years for a fee increase and has had to face budget cuts from dollars we pay for our resource management.

Maybe an escalator tied to the COLA or a percentage thereof would help maintain reasonable income without having to go the legislative well to ask for an increase might be discussed at some point.

I didn't see where the Non resident fees went up. Or due they?

Mf

+1

Out of State should be increased, at a rate that is 10 X of what a license for a resident costs.......that the way it is for Hunting in this State....

"If from out of State, should be made to pay, if ya wanta play"!!!!!!

Oregon increased fees effective 2010 and some anglers decided to not fish, she said.

"Oregon anglers are hopping mad over pay more-get less,'' Hamilton said. "We're nervous about anything that could decrease our customer base.''

I almost boycotted Oregon's increase. But as a buddy of mine said. "What does it cost to take your Family out for a nice dinner"? True.

Why won't Wa. nut up and make Non residents pay to play is beyond me. If Wa. increases were straight across the board I wouldn't have a problem with it. Until they do... <Thumbs down>

Mf

Lay out the case why high fees for out of Staters is a good thing for the state and the economy.

Anybody know if the tax free form for out of state residents is a state law or federal. I dont care if they fish here, but most states require sales tax now. Why should we give up the revenue.

im fine with doubling the price of a lisense...i would pay it even it if was 200 bucks a year, most people wouldnt but pretty much everyone on here would still buy it...ive said for a while i would pay more, i voted to raise taxes but that didnt go through...i would be happy to pay more if the money was going where it was supposed to go..

on a different note, i think out of state liscneses are high enough already...that was the main reason i couldnt get my dad and grandpa to go fishing with me when they visited, really it was too much for a half day of fishing, i would have paid it if they would have gone but i guess ill never fish with them unless i go out of state i still have yet to fish with my dad, something i would love to do

Wow, do you live in a "bubble world".....need to check neighboring State's or most mid-west State......"out of State fee's" far exceed what Wasington State charges.....so you wouldn't be going there to fish....

Out of State people....cut a "fat hog" on shell fish and fish license fee's, probably laugh all the way home.

Do tribal crabbers have to pay the full commercial license fees?

Crab is a luxury item, not something purchased by those on a budget. I think the commercial price should be monitored, and go up to a rate where the buyer-curve starts to faulter. It can be scaled up to it's maximum the market will support over a 3-4 year timeline. +400% is OK with me, since commercials can pass it along to the (luxury) consumer anyway. Our crab has been selling way too cheap for way too long, and the same with Oregon.

Those out of Staters that are determined to fish here, will pony up the $. Just like myself fishing in Oregon. Barring employment. Oregon has no problem sticking it Washingtonian's, so why should Wa. have a problem sticking it to the Oregonians?

In regards to the State or economy, I don't care. My reasoning is strictly selfish. I don't care if they fish here either, as long as they've payed to play.

Mf

This is my biggest concern as well. I have no problem paying more, but please see that my money is allocated properly and we keep our DFW alive.

Mpizzel its the fish and wildlife COMMISSION that we need to keep alive, they manage the WDFG and have listened to us the sporties as in the Crab thing, which by the way the commercials are now trying to go through the legislature to overturn.......join psa or cca and help us with raw numbers of sportsmen to represent and respond to action alerts........we will need all the help we can get.........Thanks

overall do you think they do a good job ?