Frequently Asked Questions: Columbia River Salmon & Steelhead Endorsement

Q: What is the Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement?
A: The annual endorsement, authorized by Senate Bill 5421 during the 2009 Legislative session, is a new licensing requirement for anglers who fish for salmon and steelhead recreationally in the Columbia River and its tributaries. Anglers must purchase the endorsement in addition to a fishing license to fish for salmon or steelhead in those waters.

Q: How much money will be generated from the new endorsement?
A: WDFW estimates that the endorsement will generate about $900,000 annually. Funds generated from the endorsement fee will only be used to maintain and improve recreational salmon and steelhead selective fisheries in the Columbia River and its tributaries. Specifically, the fee will support fishery management activities, including scientific monitoring and evaluation, data collection, permitting, reporting, and enforcement.

Q: Why is the endorsement required?
A: The annual endorsement was created by the Legislature in 2009 to help maintain and improve recreational salmon and steelhead selective fisheries in the Columbia River and its tributaries. Specifically, the fee will support fishery management activities, including scientific monitoring and evaluation, data collection, permitting, reporting, and enforcement. The annual endorsement was one of several license fee changes approved by the Legislature in 2009 that helped offset a portion of a $30 million cutback in the 2009-2011 state budget for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Q: When will this new requirement take effect?
A: The annual endorsement will be required beginning April 1, 2010, and will be valid through March 31, 2011. A new Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement will be required for each subsequent license year.

Q: How much will the endorsement cost?
A: The total charge of the endorsement, after transaction and dealer fees, will be $8.75.

Q: Who will need to purchase an endorsement?
A: Any angler 15 years of age or older with a Washington fishing license fishing recreationally for salmon or steelhead in the Columbia River and its tributaries will be required to have an endorsement where these fisheries have been authorized.

Q: Will anglers licensed in Oregon be required to purchase the endorsement?
A: Anglers with an Oregon license are not required to purchase an endorsement if they are fishing from a boat or from the Oregon bank of the Columbia River. However, as always, anglers licensed in Oregon fishing the Columbia River from Washington’s bank and sloughs – except Camas Slough – are required to purchase the appropriate Washington fishing-license documents.

Q: Will anglers licensed in Idaho be required to purchase the endorsement?
A: Anglers with an Idaho license are not required to purchase an endorsement if they are fishing from a boat or from the Idaho bank of the Snake River. However, as always, anglers licensed in Idaho fishing the Snake River from Washington’s bank and sloughs are required to purchase the appropriate Washington fishing-license documents.

Q: Where will the endorsement be required?
A: The endorsement will be required, along with a fishing license and a catch record card, for anglers 15 years of age and older to fish for salmon and steelhead on the Columbia River and its tributaries when open to fishing for those species. WDFW, working with the Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Recreational Advisory Board, has proposed a list of waters in the Columbia River basin where the endorsement will be required. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to consider for approval the list of waters, available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/crss_endorsement/, during its February 2010 meeting in Olympia.

Q: What is the Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Recreational Advisory Board?
A: The Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Recreational Advisory Board was formed in September 2009 to advise WDFW on the use of money generated from the endorsement. Senate Bill 5421(http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5421) directed WDFW to form the board, which currently has nine members who represent different regions of the Columbia River Basin.

Q: Where can I buy a license and endorsement?
A: At one of the more than 600 WDFW license dealers throughout the state or online at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/. Dealer locations can be found on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/index.html.  

Q: Where can I get more information?
A: Visit WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/crss_endorsement/, or contact WDFW’s Fish Program at (360) 902-2700 or WDFW’s Licensing Division at (360) 902-2464.