WDFW Budget Frequently Asked Questions

In what way do the Department’s activities support the economy?

Washington's fish and wildlife resources are central to the economy of the state. In Washington, anglers, hunters, and wildlife watchers spent over $9 billion on equipment and trip-related expenses in 2022. This spending contributed an estimated $630 million in tax revenues to the state general fund.

In 2023, Washington hunting and fishing license sales generated around $53 million in revenue. In addition to this state revenue, federal excise taxes on the sales of hunting equipment and fishing gear generated $8.9 million and $22.6 million, respectively. 

What is the economic impact of outdoor recreation on WDFW-managed lands?

WDFW manages more than 1 million acres of land, including over 30 wildlife areas and nearly 500 water access areas. Washington residents and visitors took an estimated 43 million trips (PDF) to WDFW-managed lands. In Washington, recreation spending associated with trips on public lands, including WDFW-managed lands, supports over 85,000 jobs and is associated with nearly $1.5 billion in state and local taxes.

How much do hunters contribute to the Department’s operating budget?

On average there are roughly 163,000 hunting license holders in Washington state who purchase around 197,000 licenses each fiscal year. This generated $40.8M in revenue for the agency for the 2023-25 biennium.

The license sales above plus a federal excise tax on hunting equipment and ammunition (Pittman-Robertson) means that hunters contribute approximately 8% of the agency’s budget.

How much do recreational anglers contribute to the Department’s operating budget?

There are roughly 675,000 fishing license holders in Washington state who purchase around 822,000 licenses each year. This generated $55.8M in revenue for the agency in the 2023-25 biennium.

The license sales above plus a federal excise tax on fishing gear (Dingell-Johnson) means that recreational anglers contribute approximately 14% of the agency’s budget. 

How much do commercial fishing license fees and landing taxes contribute to the Department’s operating budget?

At WDFW, we establish, monitor, and enforce sustainable commercial fisheries that ultimately allow for the excise tax to be collected.

The application fee on a commercial license, the increases of the commercial licenses in 2017, and the additional 1% landing tax on Chinook, coho, and chum are deposited into the Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Account.  Most of the license revenue and most of the excise tax goes to the State General Fund.

We issue 8,000 commercial licenses per year, that generates a little over $4M per biennium.

How much does the Department spend on wolf conservation and management?

During calendar year 2024, WDFW spent approximately $1.7M on wolf management activities, including: 

Approximately $82K in reimbursement to livestock producers for Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements – Livestock (DPCA-L) non-lethal conflict prevention expenses (range riding, specialized lighting, and fencing, etc.)

Approximately $49K for contracted range riders

Approximately $140K to producers for livestock losses caused by wolves

Approximately $111K for lethal removal operations in response to depredations on livestock

Approximately $1.3M for wolf management and research activities

Please see our current Conservation and Management Annual Report for details. 

Do hunters pay for wolf management and conservation?

Most expenses for wolves such as Damage Prevention Cooperative Agreements – Livestock (DPCA-L), Range Riders, and surveys are paid for through federal grants, personalized license plate sales, and the State General Fund. Funding derived from hunting pays for the wolf policy lead position which leads strategic planning efforts, development of new initiatives, fostering and development of partnerships, providing employee guidance, policy decision making, and recommending operations of staff. Finally, when mitigation strategies fail, recreational license revenue is used for the lethal removal of select wolves.

How can I contribute to the Department’s mission?

Why fund fish and wildlife management?

254 Washington species are in need of conservation. Visit the State Wildlife Action Plan page to learn more about these species.
Over the last decade, the population has grown by 1 million people and will continue to grow, adding development and recreation pressure on scarce resources.
WDFW Enforcement responds to close to 37,000 calls for service ranging from public safety incidents to illegal poaching each year.
Over 1 million acres of public WDFW land supports habitat, clean water, and recreation.
$9 billion in annual consumer expenditures by Washington anglers, hunters, and wildlife watchers.¹
$9.7 billion in annual sales and 62,200 jobs are supported by Washington’s sustainable commercial fisheries and seafood sector.²
In a state valued for its outdoors, less than 1% of the State General Fund goes to support all of the state's natural resource agencies combined - that includes the Department of Natural Resources, State Parks, the Recreation and Conservation Office, Conservation Commission, Department of Ecology, the Puget Sound Partnership, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Yet, we know that people who are exposed to nature show better conservation behaviors, improved learning, and stronger physical, mental, and social health.³
- Sources: ¹ Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation in Washington: Participation and Expenditures in 2022; ² Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2020; ³ The North American Conservation Strategy: Benefits of Outdoor Skills to Health; Learning and Lifestyle: A Literature Review, 2010/Home to Us All: How Connecting with Nature Helps us Care for Ourselves and the Earth, 2018.

Have you ever considered having volunteers do work for the Department?

Learn more about volunteering with the Department on the Volunteer opportunities page.

Do you ever accept donations?

Yes, you can donate to Department programs and initiatives.

Is conservation funding sufficient?

No, the Department does not have sufficient funding to improve the status of all of Washington’s species of greatest conservation need. The Governor’s 2026 supplemental budget proposal reduced an additional $2 million per year starting in fiscal year 27, compounding the prior cut of $1 million per year in the 2025 session. This proposal would cut funding from $14 million to $12 million per year.
We have a long way to go to recover many of the threatened and endangered salmon stocks statewide and the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population, which remains near historically low levels.

Discover Pass/Vehicle Access Pass

The Discover Pass allows outdoor recreationists to recreate on state-managed lands owned by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks). Revenue from sales of the Discover Pass is split between the agencies: 84% Parks, 8% DNR, and 8% WDFW.
Visit the Parking and access passes page to learn more.