EARLIER THIS MONTH Gov. Jay Inslee rolled out a two-year state budget package that would invest more than $50 million to upgrade hatcheries, boost production to enhance certain fisheries, fund salmon habitat and passage barrier removal work, and increase fishing and hunting license fees.
All those efforts sound good, well, except for that last bit about increased fees.
Overall, Inslee’s budget would give the state Department of Fish and Wildlife a 2017-19 budget of $470 million, an 11 percent increase from the $415 million budget from the 2015-17 package.
A good chunk of that would come from upping the cost to buy licenses, a major facet of Fish and Wildlife Director Jim Unsworth’s Wild Futures initiative.
Inslee’s budget must receive approval from the state legislature, and lawmakers will be able to weigh in with their own tweaks during that process, so what is proposed may not become reality in 2017.
But hunting and fishing license fees are likely to rise for the 2017-18 year, so it’s a good idea to know before you go as licenses for the 2017-18 hunting and fishing seasons will be available in mid-January.
Fish and Wildlife sells about 2.5 million hunting and fishing licenses and related recreational permits each year, generating about $55 million for fish, wildlife, habitat management and enforcement activities that directly support recreational opportunities.
Unsworth’s bid to up license fees would add an estimated $15.1 million to department coffers.
Price hikes proposed
Some of the most popular licenses are set to increase substantially. A saltwater, freshwater and shellfish combination license would increase from $55.35 to $64.92. That license also requires anglers to purchase a separate catch record card for salmon and steelhead at $17 each.
Annual razor clam licenses would increase from $14.10 to $24, while a three-day pass would increase from $9.70 to $18.50.
Hunters also would feel the pinch. A 10 percent across the board uptick in license fees is likely if the budget proposal is adopted as written.
A big game license for deer, elk, bear and cougar would rise from $95.50 to $104.85, while a big game/small game combination license would increase from $117.50 to $129.05.
Proponents argue that the increases would align license fees to reflect the cost of providing fishing opportunities. Some recreational fisheries, such as salmon and steelhead, are more expensive to manage than others, such as inland lake trout and warm-water species.
Higher rates would be set for fisheries the state says are more costly to manage.
Senior citizens would qualify for discounted fees at age 65 instead of the current 70. The qualifying age for senior hunting licenses is already set at 65.
The minimum age requirement to purchase a license would drop from 16 to 15.
Those age 15 and younger would only be responsible for specific endorsements.
A new proposal would allow young anglers to record their catch on a mentor’s catch record card as part of the mentor’s daily limit or purchase a separate catch record card at a reduced rate and have their own daily limit.
Anglers would purchase catch record cards for specific species.
Currently, a single catch record card for all four species is provided free of charge with the purchase of a fishing license. The proposal would establish individual catch record cards for four species.
This individual catch record card proposal has its own set of issues (no movement toward an instant, electronic means to report catches?) and seems to me at least to be the most blatant cash grab of all.
Clam, oyster openings
Clam and oyster harvesters can look forward to longer seasons at some Jefferson and Clallam County beaches in 2017.
The populations of clams at Fort Flagler State Park on Marrowstone Island and Point Whitney Tidelands near Brinnon, and Sequim Bay State Park in Clallam County, will support longer clamming seasons than those offered in 2016.
The following are the proposed openings and closings:
Fort Flagler: Open for clams and oysters Jan. 1 through April 15 and July 1 through Dec. 31.
Point Whitney Tidelands: Open for clams Jan. 1 through March 31.
Sequim Bay State Park: Open for clams and oysters Jan. 1 through June 30.
All clam and oyster species are included.
Ducks off the ponds
Quilcene’s Ward Norden, a former fisheries biologist and owner of Snapper Tackle Company, said duck hunting has improved in the last week.
“The recent spate of cold weather that nearly froze Lake Leland has done great things for duck hunters out on saltwater bays,” Norden said.
“The saltwater bays never froze, but all the freshwater ponds did, forcing lots of ducks onto the bays. Many limits have been taken whenever winds have died down enough for safe hunting.”
Norden went hunting Wednesday morning and came back with a couple of quick teal ducks.
“I enjoyed watching a steady parade of flocks of teal landing in my decoys while I waited for a couple larger ducks to complete two fine holiday meals,” Norden said.
“A widgeon and a pintail were shortly added to the bag and my kayak and I were off the water in only a couple hours, just in time for the winds to kick up.”
Merry Christmas, everybody.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
