Fish And Wildlife Commission Proposes Hunting, Fishing License Changes

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted new rules to simplify the process of getting state hunting and fishing licenses.

The new structure was adopted by the commission at a meeting in Ellensburg on Friday and will go into effect in 1999, if approved by the Washington Legislature.

Fishing license revisions would incorporate existing warm-water and Puget Sound salmon enhancement fees into licenses and eliminate licensing by species.

Resident adults would pay $20 for freshwater licenses; $17 for saltwater licenses; $7 for shellfish licenses; or $34 for a combined license including shellfish.

For the first time, juveniles would be charged $5 for a combination license, with a separate $3 charge for a shellfish license.

Families also would have a new option of paying $25 for a “family fishing weekend” license for up to six people.

For hunting, single-species tags would be replaced with a big game-small game system with options for hunting single species. Adults would pay $20 to $65 for big game, depending on the species.

A $65 big-game combination license would allow hunting for deer, elk, cougar and bear. A $30 small-game combination license would allow hunting for upland birds, Eastern Washington pheasant and turkey, and falcons.

A combined $80 license would allow both big- and small-game hunting. Deeronly or elk-only tags would cost $35.

Juvenile hunting license fees would be half those charged adults, if the Legislature agrees with the new fee structure.

The commission also approved the outline of a hunting and fishing agreement with the Colville tribe that would continue to provide recreational opportunities for non-Indians on reservation land.

, DataTimes MEMO: The Spokesman-Review outdoors editor Rich Landers contributed to this story.