Title 77, FISH AND WILDLIFE

Enhancement programs receive revenue using a percentage rate applied to the fee of each eligible license and deposited within each dedicated account as follows: (1) Six and eight-tenths percent of all freshwater and combination fishing licenses, including temporary combination fi…

(1) A big game hunting license is required to hunt for big game. A big game license allows the holder to hunt for forest grouse, unclassified wildlife, and the individual species identified within a specific big game combination license package. Each big game license includes one…

(1) A small game hunting license is required to hunt for all classified wild animals and wild birds, except big game. A small game license also allows the holder to hunt for unclassified wildlife. (2)(a) In addition to a small game license, a turkey tag is required to hunt for tu…

(1) A personal use saltwater, freshwater, combination, or temporary license is required for all persons 16 years of age or older to fish for or possess fish taken for personal use from state waters or offshore waters. (a) A combination license allows the holder to fish for or pos…

(1) Upon written application, a combination fishing license shall be issued at the reduced rate of $6.90 and all hunting licenses shall be issued at the reduced rate of a youth hunting license fee for the following individuals: (a) A resident 65 years old or older who has a quali…

In order to simplify fishing license requirements in transition areas between salt water and fresh water, the commission may adopt rules designating specific waters where either a fresh water or a salt water license is valid. [ 1998 c 191 s 41.] Notes: Effective date—1998 c 191: …

(1) A personal use shellfish and seaweed license is required for all persons other than residents or nonresidents under 16 years of age to fish for, take, dig for, or possess seaweed or shellfish, including razor clams, for personal use from state waters or offshore waters includ…

The director shall administer rules adopted by the commission governing the time, place, and manner of holding hunting and fishing contests and competitive field trials involving live wildlife for hunting dogs. The department shall prohibit contests and field trials that are not …

(1) The commission in consultation with the director may authorize hunting of big game animals and wild turkeys through auction. The department may conduct the auction for the hunt or contract with a nonprofit wildlife conservation organization to conduct the auction for the hunt…

If a private entity has a private lands wildlife management area agreement in effect with the department, the commission may authorize the private entity to conduct raffles for access to hunt for big game animals and wild turkeys to meet the conditions of the agreement. The priva…

A person shall not promote, conduct, hold, or sponsor a contest for the hunting or fishing of wildlife or a competitive field trial involving live wildlife for hunting dogs without first obtaining a hunting or fishing contest permit. Contests and field trials shall be held in acc…

A property owner, lessee, or tenant may remove a trap placed on the owner's, lessee's, or tenant's posted or fenced property by a trapper. Trappers shall attach to the chain of their traps or devices a legible metal tag with either the department identification number of the trap…

(1) A group fishing permit allows a group of individuals to fish, and harvest shellfish, without individual licenses or the payment of individual license fees. The department must also provide, without charge, any applicable catch record cards. (2) The director must issue a group…

(1) In addition to the fees authorized in this chapter, the department shall include a surcharge to fund biotoxin testing and monitoring by the department of health of beaches used for recreational shellfishing, and to fund monitoring by the Olympic region harmful algal bloom pro…

(1) The department may sell watchable wildlife decals. Proceeds from the sale of the decal must be deposited into the limited fish and wildlife account created in RCW 77.12.170(1) and must be dedicated to the support of the department's watchable wildlife activities. The departme…

(1) In order to facilitate hunting and fishing opportunities for a terminally ill person, the director may provide any licenses, tags, permits, stamps, and other fees without charge including transaction and dealer fees. (2) The director may accept special permits or other specia…

(1) In order to effectively manage wildlife in areas or at times when a higher proficiency and demonstrated skill level are needed for resource protection or public safety, the department establishes the master hunter permit program. The master hunter permit program emphasizes sa…

(1) A western Washington pheasant license is required to hunt for pheasant in western Washington. (2) The license is available as a season option, a youth full season option, or a three-day option. [ 2025 c 328 s 15; 2009 c 333 s 73.] Notes: Effective date—2025 c 328: See note fo…

(1) The department shall permit the release of wild beavers on public and private lands with agreement from the property owner. (2) The department may limit the release of wild beavers to areas of the state where: (a) There is a low probability of released beavers becoming a nuis…

(1) In order to facilitate hunting and fishing opportunities for Washington state resident veterans who are eligible for reduced fishing and hunting license fees, based on a service-related disability, under RCW 77.32.480, the department may accept donations from the public so th…

Recreational fishing fee table LICENSE TYPES RESIDENT NONRESIDENT RESIDENT SENIOR YOUTH RCW Annual freshwater license $34.50 $103.50 $6.90 ---- 77.32.470 Annual saltwater license $35.19 $72.45 $7.59 ---- 77.32.470 Annual shellfish/seaweed license $13.80 $37.26 $6.90 ---- 77.32.52…

Hunting fee table LICENSE TYPES RESIDENT NONRESIDENT RESIDENT SENIOR YOUTH RCW Big game Deer+elk+bear+cougar license $117.30 $1,076.40 $39.88 $55.20 77.32.450 Deer+elk+bear+cougar license w/discounted small game license $144.90 $1,197.84 $49.27 $66.24 77.32.450/ 77.32.460 Deer+el…

(1) The commission may adopt rules to create and sell combination licenses for all hunting and fishing activities at or below a fee equal to the total cost of the individual license contained within any combination. This includes, but is not limited to, discounts for seniors and …

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Claim" means an application to the department for compensation under this chapter. (2) "Commercial crop" means a horticultural or agricultural product, including the …

(1) Subject to limitations and conditions established by the commission, the owner, the owner's immediate family member, the owner's documented employee, or a tenant of real property may trap, consistent with RCW 77.15.194, or kill wildlife that is threatening human safety or cau…

The department may pay no more than one hundred twenty thousand dollars per fiscal year from the fish, wildlife, and conservation account created in RCW 77.12.170(3) for claims and assessment costs for damage to commercial crops caused by wild deer or elk submitted under RCW 77.3…

(1) Unless the legislature declares an emergency under this section, the department may pay no more than $300,000 per fiscal year from the general fund for claims and assessment costs for damage to commercial crops caused by wild deer or elk submitted under RCW 77.36.100. (2)(a) …

(1)(a) Except as limited by RCW 77.36.070, 77.36.080, 77.36.170, and 77.36.180, the department shall offer to distribute money appropriated to pay claims to the owner of commercial crops for damage caused by wild deer or elk or to the owners of livestock that has been killed by b…

(1) No owner may receive compensation for wildlife interactions under this chapter unless the owner has, as determined by the department, first: (a) Utilized applicable legal and practicable self-help preventive measures available to prevent the damage, including the use of nonle…

The department shall establish: (1) The form of affidavits or proof required to accompany all claims under this chapter; (2) The process, time, and methods used to identify and assess damage, including the anticipated timeline for the initiation and conclusion of department actio…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section and as limited by RCW 77.36.100, 77.36.070, 77.36.080, 77.36.170, and 77.36.180, the cash compensation portion of each claim by the department under this chapter is limited to the lesser of: (a) The value of the damage to the prope…

This chapter represents the exclusive remedy against the state for damage caused by wildlife interactions. [ 2009 c 333 s 62.] Notes: Effective date—Application—2009 c 333 ss 53-66: See notes following RCW 77.36.010.

(1) Whenever the department receives a request for relocating beaver, the department must inform the requesting party of locations, if available, of surplus beaver available for capture and relocation. The department may identify nuisance beaver or areas with thriving beaver popu…

(1) The department may pay no more than fifty thousand dollars per fiscal year from the limited fish and wildlife account created in RCW 77.12.170(1) for claims and assessment costs for injury or loss of livestock caused by wolves submitted under RCW 77.36.100. (2) Notwithstandin…

(1) The wolf-livestock conflict account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. Any transfers under RCW 77.36.170 must be deposited in the account. The department may also deposit into the account any grants, gifts, or donations to the state for the purposes of providin…

The department shall maintain sufficient staff resources in Ferry and Stevens counties for response to wolf-livestock conflict on an ongoing basis and for coordination with livestock producers on the continued implementation of proactive nonlethal deterrents. [ 2019 c 450 s 3.] N…

The legislature declares that the public and private propagation, production, protection, and enhancement of fish is in the public interest. [ 1991 c 253 s 1. Formerly RCW 77.18.005.]

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter. (1) "Contract" means an agreement setting at a minimum, price, quantity of fish to be delivered, time of delivery, and fish health requirements. (2) "Fish health requirem…

A warm water game fish enhancement program is created in the department. The enhancement program shall be designed to increase the opportunities to fish for and catch warm water game fish including: Largemouth black bass, smallmouth black bass, channel catfish, black crappie, whi…

(1) As provided in RCW 77.32.440, a portion of each freshwater and combination fishing license fee shall be deposited into the warm water game fish account. (2) The department shall use the most cost-effective format in designing and administering the warm water game fish surchar…

The goals of the warm water game fish enhancement program are to improve the fishing for warm water game fish using cost-effective management. Development of new ponds and lakes shall be an important and integral part of the program. The department shall work with the department …

The warm water game fish account is created in the state treasury. Moneys in the account are subject to legislative appropriation and shall be used for the purpose of funding the warm water game fish enhancement program, including the development of warm water pond and lake habit…

If the department requires, pursuant to its authority relative to environmental permits or licenses, that resident hatchery game fish be stocked by the permittee or licensee for mitigation of environmental damage, the department shall specify the pounds or numbers, species, stock…

Any agency of state or federal government, political subdivision of the state, private or public utility company, corporation, or sports group, or any purchaser of fish under RCW 77.44.060 may purchase resident game fish from an aquatic farmer for stocking purposes if permit requ…

(1) The commission may authorize commercial fishing for sockeye salmon within the waters described in subsection (2) of this section only during the period June 10th to July 25th and for other salmon only from the second Monday of September through November 30th, except during th…

(1) The commission may authorize commercial fishing for coho salmon in the Pacific Ocean and the Straits of Juan de Fuca only from June 16th through October 31st. (2) The commission may authorize commercial fishing for chinook salmon in the Pacific Ocean and the Straits of Juan d…