The price of annual shellfish licenses in Oregon is increasing by $3 to $13 beginning Monday and then to $15 by 2030.
By AIMEE GREEN/The Oregonian/OregonLive
It’s about to cost you more to try your luck — and skill — at hunting, fishing and collecting shellfish in Oregon’s wildlands and waters.
More than 75 recreational and commercial fees will increase over the next four years. The new prices started Monday, Dec. 1 – the first chance to buy hunting, fishing or shellfish licenses, permits and tags for 2026.
The last time the state raised the fees was six years ago.
The Oregon Department of Fish& Wildlife said Oregon residents and visitors make about 1.2 million fishing and shellfish collecting trips each year. Last year, there were about 330,000 hunters in Oregon, including more than 150,000 people who had tags to hunt deer and more than 120,000 with tags to hunt elk.
An annual hunting license will go from $34.50 to $39 for 2026, a 13 percent increase from 2025. The cost of the license will rise to $42 in 2028 and to $45 in 2030. That’s a total of a 30 percent increase over the four-year stretch.
An annual fishing license will go from $44 to $50 in 2026, a 14 percent increase. Then in 2028, it’ll rise to $53 and $56 in 2030. In all, that’s a 27 percent increase.
Annual shellfish licenses for people who want to go crabbing or dig for clams will go from $10 to $13 in 2026, then to $14 in 2028 and $15 in 2030. In all, that’s a 50 percent increase.
All of the above prices were approved by the 2025 Legislature and apply to Oregon residents. Non-resident fees will increase at roughly proportional rates, with annual licenses costing about three to five times that of what state residents pay.
Shaun Clements, the ODFW’s deputy director, told a legislative committee this spring that the money will go toward sustaining the department’s programs — hatchery operations, Oregon State Police who fight poaching, and biologists who restore habitat and monitor the health of wildlife populations.
While the cost of fishing licenses will go up for adults, children under 12 still will won’t need a license to hunt or fish and licenses for youth 12 to 17 will stay at $10 per year. The money also will help cover higher costs the agency is seeing in all of its operations, Clements said.
Clements said based on public feedback, the department is gradually increasing fees over four years and is keeping fee prices the same for children to encourage their participation in outdoor activities. For instance, children under 12 will won’t need a license to hunt or fish but licenses for youth 12 to 17 will continue to cost $10 per year.
The legislation that raised many of the fees, House Bill 2342, stoked some anger among Oregonians, some of whom said they rely on hunting or fishing to subsidize their food needs.
But more than 40 people who wrote to the Legislature or testified in-person outweighed opponents by nearly three to one. More than a dozen hunting, fishing and conservation groups said they approved of the higher fees.
Amy Patrick, policy director of the Oregon Hunters Association, with more than 12,000 members, said the department plays an important role in fighting “extremely impactful” problems plaguing wildlife, such as chronic wasting disease affecting deer and elk, avian flu and a pneumonia-like disease that’s hurting wild sheep.
“While hunters and anglers are not thrilled about paying more, obviously as anybody would understand, we do take this as our responsibility,” Patrick told legislators. “Historically hunters and anglers have funded 40 percent to 50 percent of the agency budget.”
The Senate passed the measure 19-10 followed by the House with a vote of 37-12.
What about senior or pioneer license? I still have. An issue increased license and tag fees i haven’t seen an improvement in the deer or elk population that was going to happen with the last fee increase i stopped buying deer tags two years ago and will not buy again until deer counts are up
Sorry Walter it’s just more of the Oregon raw deal. It gets worse every day. You’ll get used to it.
In light of the unjust fee increases imposed upon the citizens of our state who choose to harvest their own fresh seafood by their own means, I’d like to recommend a boycott of all commercially-caught Oregon seafood. This action alone, by creating an unsustainable environment for the entire, multi-billion dollar fishing industry, may serve to drive the ODFW to reconsider what many of us to believe to be a total rejection of the rights and will of the recreational fishing community as a whole.
You’ll be making less than ever. I for one am done paying for for overpriced ticket to ride. I’m not the only one either. I’m betting your revenue will go down not up.
I believe it should be up to the people to vote for any increase in any departments of state government
I’m protesting it and refuse to be taxed higher to get permission to harvest diminished and poorly managed resources. Charging more for less sucks.
How do you justify higher fees and then close fish hatchery. I could go on and on but the truth is your your own worst enemy.
Nothing like taxation without representation! When exactly did we get the opportunity to vote on these increases? No mention in this article of the new $9 Ocean Access fee just to fish the ocean too. What’s next?