WaTix is a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) application that allows users to complete mandatory electronic fish ticket reporting requirements for non-treaty deliveries of Dungeness crab, ocean pink shrimp, pink shrimp, coonstripe shrimp, sidestripe shrimp, or spot shrimp into Washington ports (see WAC 220-352-035).
Background
Electronic fish ticket reporting moves several coastal and Puget Sound non-treaty commercial shellfish fisheries from a voluntary electronic fish ticket reporting program to a mandatory requirement for deliveries of non-treaty Dungeness crab, ocean pink shrimp, pink shrimp, coonstripe shrimp, sidestripe shrimp, or spot shrimp into Washington ports (see WAC 220-352-035)
Mandatory electronic reporting streamlines the reporting process and reduces the time between landings and when catch information is available to managers. This reduced reporting time allows managers to be more responsive to changes in the fisheries. A program that allows a fish buying business (dealer) to use electronic fish tickets on a voluntary basis has been in place since 2018 for coastal fisheries and has allowed interested dealers to become familiar with electronic reporting tools.
WaTix allows small dealers that may not have access to a computer at the time of delivery to complete and submit an electronic fish ticket using a cell phone or tablet. The electronic fish ticket reporting requirements are also beneficial to participants and shellfish dealers because it eliminates the burden of duplicative reporting requirements that include submitting paper fish receiving tickets to WDFW, instead, the participants and shellfish dealers can submit the same information electronically.
How to sign up
SAW Account
To get signed up to use WaTix, you will first need to set up a Secure Access Washington (SAW) account at secureaccess.wa.gov. Once you have your SAW account set up, please send an email to watixsupport@dfw.wa.gov with your Dealer name, Dealer ID number, phone number, and email address linked to your SAW account. Detailed instructions (with screenshots) on how to sign up can be viewed here: Signing up for WaTix (PDF). If you already have a SAW account but need to recover your username and/or password, detailed instructions can be viewed here: Recovering SAW Account Log-in Information (PDF).
All WaTix users including dealers, buyers, and authorized users, need their own SAW account.
How to download
Reminder: You must also contact watixsupport@dfw.wa.gov to get your account activated. See "Signing Up for WaTix" above.
The WaTix fish ticket application is available to download on both iOS and Android platforms. You must first have an Apple ID or Google Play store account to download the mobile applications. WaTix may also be accessed from a browser using the website link below. The mobile and browser-based applications are available in both the US and Canada.
Reference materials
User Training Slides
- Detailed instructions (with screenshots) on how to export landings history for a specific commercial harvest license(s): How to retrieve landings summaries for a specific commercial license(s) using the WaTix web application.pdf (PDF)
- Presentation slides from the WaTix User training sessions on 9/27 and 9/29 can be downloaded here: WaTix User Training Presentation Slides.pdf (PDF)
- Detailed instructions (with screenshots) on how to edit a submitted ticket can be viewed here: How to Edit a Submitted Ticket (PDF)
User Manuals
iOS: WaTix iOS Mobile Application User Manual.pdf (PDF)
Android: WaTix Android Mobile Application User Manual.pdf (PDF)
How-to video
Signature Method Decision Table
The table below describes which signature method to use under different criteria for both the dealer and harvester for different platform types. The three signature methods for WaTix are the electronic signature and SMS verification, harvester verification using a fish ticket, and printing of the ticket using the WaTix desktop application.
Download the Electronic Signature Method Reference Table
| Harvester Criteria | |||||||||||
| Harvester has non-treaty commercial license, alternate operator imprint card. | Harvester has a treaty commercial license | ||||||||||
| Harvester has mobile phone capable of receiving SMS text messages | Harvester has mobile phone capable of receiving SMS text messages but there is no service at offload site | Harvester does not have a SMS capable mobile phone | |||||||||
| Buyer Criteria | Buyer has a State issued wholesale dealers license, buyers license, or limited fish sellers endorsement. | Buyer has smartphone, service, and WaTix application | WaTix, device, and network are all functional. | Buyer fills out fish ticket on mobile device and verifies using the SMS code messaged to the harvester. | Buyer fills out fish ticket on mobile device and harvester authorizes sale using a paper transportation ticket. | Paper fish receiving ticket is completed and distributed to NWIFC, Olympia as required by regulation. | |||||
| Watix, device, or network are not functional | Contact WDFW enforcement and WaTix support to notify of situation and ask for an approved approach to your situation. | ||||||||||
| Buyer has smartphone and WaTix application but service is not available. | WaTix and device are all functional. | Buyer fills out fish ticket on mobile device and harvester authorizes sale using a paper transportation ticket. Buyer manually completes draft ticket in WaTix app to submit electronic fish ticket once network access is restored. | |||||||||
| Watix, device, or network are not functional | Contact WDFW enforcement and WaTix support to notify of situation and ask for an approved approach to your situation. | ||||||||||
| Buyer is using Watix Desktop Application | WaTix, device, printer, and network are all functional. | Buyer fills out fish ticket in the WaTix webapp, prints out the dock slip and harvester signs the dock slip. Buyer submits ticket using web app and retains signed dock slip. | |||||||||
| Watix, device, printer, or network are not functional | Contact WDFW enforcement and WaTix support to notify of situation and ask for an approved approach to your situation. | ||||||||||
| Buyer is using eTix Desktop Application | WaTix, device, printer, and network are all functional. | Buyer fills out fish ticket in the eTix webapp, prints out the dock slip and harvester signs the dock slip. Buyer submits ticket using webapp and retains signed dock slip. | |||||||||
| Watix, device, printer, or network are not functional | Contact WDFW enforcement and WaTix support to notify of situation and ask for an approved approach to your situation. | ||||||||||
| Electronic systems are not functional and tickets cannot be submitted to the Department via the WaTix mobile app, WaTix webapp, or Etix web app within 24 hours of a landing. | Contact WDFW enforcement and WaTix support to notify of situation and ask for an approved approach to your situation. | ||||||||||
Support
For questions regarding the WaTix mobile application or desktop software please contact user support at:
Email: watixsupport@dfw.wa.gov
Phone: 360-480-1675
Live telephone support is available Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30am - 2:30pm. If it is outside of those hours, please leave a detailed voicemail message and we will return your call as soon as possible, and/or contact us at the above e-mail address.
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions
Prior to using WaTix, please review the Privacy policy and Terms and Conditions documents below.