Why Do Fishing and Hunting License Fees Increase Every Year?

January 8, 2009

Question: Why do fishing and hunting license fees and various cards and tags increase in price every year? This concerns my friends and me as we are of the older population of California and are on fixed incomes. Hunting and fishing are some of the only pleasures we have to enjoy in our old age, but it is becoming so costly we won’t be able to afford it if you keep raising prices. (Bill D.)

Answer: California law establishes fishing and hunting license fees each year, not the Department of Fish and Game (DFG). The base fee for sport fishing licenses is established in Fish and Game Code Section 7149 and the fees for stamps and most report cards are established in other sections of the Fish and Game Code or CCR, Title 14 Regulations.

According to License Program Analyst Glenn Underwood, the Fish and Game code requires license fees to be adjusted in response to increases (or decreases) in costs of goods and services using an index called the “Implicit Price Deflator” (Fish and Game Code Section 713). This index is a gauge of the change in the cost of goods and services from year to year.

For example, as hatchery, law enforcement and wildlife management costs have increased, license fees needed to increase to keep pace with these rising costs. Essentially, license fees are adjusted to compensate for inflation. If license fees were not adjusted for inflation, then funding for fish and wildlife management and protection would actually decrease because the “buying power” of a dollar has declined over the years.

License fee increases over the past five years have ranged from between 1.5% in 2005 to 6.5% in 2007. The average over the past five years has been 4.7%.

Generally, the cost of goods and services increases at a fairly steady, slow rate. About two to three percent per year is common. In recent years, some costs have increased dramatically, particularly the cost of fuel. Because of this, the cost of goods and services jumped approximately 6.19% and 2009 license fees increased accordingly. If the cost of goods and services were to decrease, then license fees would actually decrease the same percentage. However, when is the last time the cost of living actually decreased?

Although fishing and hunting license fees have increased throughout the years, the increase ensures that the DFG has adequate funding to manage California’s diverse fish and wildlife resources and provide the public with enjoyable fishing and hunting experiences.

Big 'ol pile

I agree a pile and one huge one. All California wants is your hard earned income

Uh, inflation is a real thing.

Uh, inflation is a real thing.

BUT OIL PRICES ARE DOWN

Uh, inflation is a real thing.

BUT OIL PRICES ARE DOWN

For now!  Tomorrow ????  who knows

The increase is average 4.7% over the last 5 years due to inflation from 2005 to 2009.  That is the claim.  However, inflation average over the last five years has been 2.56% as follows;
2005 3.4%
2006 2.5%
2007 4.1%
2008 0.1%
2009 2.7%

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/

But that is U.S. inflation rate. Let's see about just California as a state;
2005 3.2%
2006 3.7%
2007 3.2%
2008 3.4%
2009 -.1%

Average 2.68%.  Not much different that the U.S. average of 2.56% but that's not anywhere near the 4.7% average charged during those 5 years. 

the only solution is this:
Fish More!! Fish Smart! Fish Hard!   

just get a lifetime license and never worry about increased prices again....random new stamps, yes (sturgeon!) but increased license prices? Never! 

When I picked up my 2015 lifetime license & stamps a few weeks ago, I had to pay for the sturgeon card.
In regards to the original question though...don't they have reduced license for old folks?

Good info Jerry. I wonder if there's a list of CA fishing license prices over the last 20yrs.

If the cost of goods and services were to decrease, then license fees would actually decrease the same percentage. However, when is the last time the cost of living actually decreased?

Ahhh, so naive back then...   I wonder if the cost of a Michigan fishing license decreased with the Detroit economic collapse in 2012???!

I may get hate mail for this, but here in Texas I get my hunting and fishing licenses for free every year. rumor has it the state is getting tired of us having to reapply every year and may just give us lifetime licenses for free. On that license the deer tags are included as well as bull redfish, turkey and upland game birds. No pig though but they are considered varmints and you can use gernades

Sorry need to add I'm a disabled veteran.

When I picked up my 2015 lifetime license & stamps a few weeks ago, I had to pay for the sturgeon card.

I didn't. Because F sturgeon fishing.

Good info Jerry. I wonder if there's a list of CA fishing license prices over the last 20yrs.

Yes there is.  I found it here;
https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Statistics#SportFishingLicenses

Here are the stats for the period covered in the question as well as from then to now;

2005 $31.75 (basis year for the DFG claim of 4.7% ave increase from 2005-2009)
2006 $33.25 (+4.72%)
2007 $35.50 (+6.77%)
2008 $37.00 (+4.23%)
2009 $39.25 (+6.08%)
2010 $39.50 (+0.64%)
2011 $40.25 (+1.90%)
2012 $41.50 (+3.10%)
2013 $42.50 (+2.41%)
2014 $43.00 (+1.18%)
2015 $47.01 (+9.03%)



BTW, the difference between 2005 and 2009 license fees are 5.9%, not the 4.7% claimed.  (They divided the average for 5 years when the fee increase is over 4 years.  How do people make that kind of MISTAKE??!!!)

And this year the increase was WHOPPING 9+%.  No way,  no how that has anything to do with "cost of goods and services"

I sure didn't get a 9% pay raise.