Committee Hears ODFW Fee Bill, Supporters Say Increases Needed to Sustain Hatcheries, Enforcement and Science

SALEM, Ore. — The House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water heard public testimony Feb. 21 on House Bill 2,342, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s biennial fee bill, with agency leaders and stakeholders urging lawmakers to approve modest, phased increases to hunting, fishing and commercial fees.

The bill would adjust scores of statutorily set ODFW license and permit fees beginning in 2026; the department told the committee the increases are intended to sustain core programs rather than expand them.

ODFW Director Debbie Colbert told the committee, “This is a very critical bill for the agency,” and said revenue from license sales, combined with federal excise apportionments, funds fish hatcheries, district biologists, habitat restoration, fish passage work and enforcement. Deputy Director Sean Clements said, “I just want to be clear, this is about sustaining core programs, not about growing the department.”

Why it matters

ODFW officials said license and commercial fees historically have funded roughly half of the agency’s budget; with recent federal grants that share has declined to about 40 percent. The department noted federal excise…