Pilot Rulemaking
The start date of the beaver relocation pilot is 1 April 2019.
Volunteers who have been selected by WDFW to participate in the pilot can begin American beaver (Castor canadensis) relocation on May 1, 2019 after the CR-101 is filed or as otherwise specified by WDFW. During this time period, only volunteers that have been approved to participate in the pilot will be authorized to relocate beavers. The pilot will authorize beaver relocation only in situations where beaver damage mitigation efforts have failed or are infeasible, where beavers are posing a public health and safety risk, or where other irresolvable factors exist.
The beaver relocation pilot will last for at least two years, but may continue for up to four years so that sufficient data may be gathered to evaluate the beaver relocation program.
During the course of the beaver relocation pilot, WDFW will monitor and evaluate pilot metrics.
The CR-102 will be filed after there are sufficient data collected to assess the beaver relocation program and if it is determined that the program should continue. Pilot metrics will include beaver establishment at the release sites, mortalities (e.g., in transport, husbandry facilities, etc.), number of lethal removals reported by Wildlife Control Operators and others, and feedback from volunteer participants.
The CR-103 adopts the final changes to the affected rules and is usually effective 31 days after the filing date. Once the CR-103 is filed and effective, any person who meets the criteria in the resulting rule can relocate beavers.
When the pilot ends, any qualified volunteer that wants to relocate beavers must comply with all of the criteria detailed in the resulting rule.
Contact
Wildlife Program Customer Service, wildthing@dfw.wa.gov, 360-902-2515
Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC)
- RCW 34.05.313 Feasibility studies—Pilot projects (apps.leg.wa.gov)
- RCW 77.32.585 Release of wild beavers (apps.leg.wa.gov)
- RCW 77.36.160 Request for relocating beaver (apps.leg.wa.gov)
- WAC 220-450-030 Live wildlife—Taking from the wild, importation, possession, transfer, and holding in captivity (apps.leg.wa.gov)
- WAC 220-450-010 Criteria for planting aquatic plants and releasing wildlife (apps.leg.wa.gov)