Shellfish Program Fees Rule Revision

Affected and Interested Parties

Owners and employees of shellfish operations such as shuckers, packers, harvesters, and growers, and other interested parties.

What's Happening

The Department of Health (Department) initially proposed to increase shellfish fees in early 2023. They withdrew the proposal in late 2023 because the 2024 Legislature passed a budget proviso that gave the Department funding to contract with an independent third-party consultant to study the commercial shellfish regulatory program and make recommendations on fees. The budget proviso prohibited the Department from increasing commercial shellfish fees during fiscal year 2025.

The report, Fee Assessment Final Report (PDF), has been published on the Washington State Legislature’s webpage. 

Once the proviso work was completed, the Department filed a CR-101 and CR-102 to increase shellfish fees once again.

Why Increase Fees

The Department is proposing to increase fees for all programs within the Office of Environmental Health and Safety to cover the costs of the programs and account for the General Fund State (GFS) and foundational public health services (FPHS) funding reductions, cost-of-living increases, Class and Compensation increases, and fund balance deficits.

The Department has completed a financial assessment of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety programs and determined the current fees are not generating sufficient revenue to cover the cost of the programs over the biennium. 

Get Involved

Comment Period Through October 21, 2025

The ​Department invites you to comment on the proposal through October 21, 2025 at midnight. A public hearing will be held on October 21, 2025 beginning at 11:00​ ​a.m. to give you an opportunity to provide oral comments.

Register to attend the public hearing virtually. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  

Written comments can be emailed to Zehra Siddiqui or submitted online at the department’s rules comment page. 

Please note that all comments received, whether virtually, email, or online, will be given the same consideration. We encourage you to comment in a manner that is most convenient for you. 

Proposed Rule Documents

CR-102: Proposed Rule Making with Proposed Rule Language (PDF)

OEHS Fees Economic Impact Analysis Report (Word)

Tentative Rulemaking Timeline

• July 2025 – Start rulemaking
• July 2025 – Informal comment period
• September and October 2025 – Formal comment period and public hearing
• November 2025 – Rulemaking complete

Rulemaking Files

Contacts

Zehra Siddiqui, Rules Coordinator

Jeanna Sieving, Fee Manager

Dani Toepelt, Shellfish Program, 360-236-3347