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Logo of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1994 (1994) |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Jurisdiction | State of Washington |
| Headquarters | Natural Resources Building, Olympia, Washington, U.S. 47°02′14″N 122°53′52″W / 47.03722°N 122.89778°W / 47.03722; -122.89778 |
| Employees | 1,001-5,000 (2023)[1] |
| Annual budget | 515.5 million (2021-23)[2] |
| Agency executive |
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| Key document | |
| Website | wdfw |
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is a department of the government of the state of Washington, United States of America. The WDFW manages over a million acres of land, the bulk of which is generally open to the public, and more than 500 water access sites.[3] Many of the sites are termed "wildlife areas" and permit hunting during the hunting season, typically in the autumn and early winter for birds, but all year round for coyotes.[4] Due to declining participation, the department has a hunter and angler recruitment, retention and reactivation plan.[5]ADiscover Pass is required to park in the wildlife areas.[3]
The department's history starts with the appointment of a fisheries commissioner in 1890 by Governor of Washington Elisha P. Ferry.[6] The department is overseen by a director appointed by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission; Kelly Susewind was appointed to the position in June 2018.[7] Hunting and fishing license sales and income from the Discover Pass recreational access fee make up about one-quarter of the department’s budget.[5]
