Lawmakers from the 35th District are sounding the alarm about proposed shellfish-fee increases that growers say could top 500%, which will decimate the industry and force up to 10% of small shellfish farms out of business.

The move by the state Department of Health would send shock waves through the shellfish industry and do nothing to make living in Washington more affordable, say the three lawmakers.

To prevent rising costs and save local jobs, Sen. Drew MacEwen and Reps. Travis Couture and Dan Griffey have introduced identical bills in each chamber — Senate Bill 5996 and House Bill 2659 — to freeze shellfish-related fees and stop any new licensing or use fees through June 2027.

“When Olympia talks about ‘full-cost recovery,’ it shouldn’t mean crushing the small family farms that keep our waterfront communities alive,” said MacEwen, R-Shelton. “A fee spike this extreme doesn’t just raise revenue — it’s a cruel move that wipes out jobs and devastates families.”

The lawmakers called the decision irresponsible and an unnecessary blow to the community.

“This is a classic Olympia move — jack up fees, call it ‘necessary,’ and hope nobody notices until the bills hit,” said Couture, R-Allyn. “A 500% increase isn’t reasonable. It’s reckless. And the people who pay for it are the families who work the tidelands and the workers who depend on those jobs.”

Griffey said DOH is treating shellfish growers like a bottomless piggy bank.

“Shellfish growers aren’t some big corporate cash machine,” said Griffey, R-Allyn. “They’re local employers. They’re family businesses. If the state drops a 500 percent fee bomb on them, some are going to close — and that means paychecks disappear right here in Mason County.”

Shellfish is a major local industry in the 35th District — with harvesters, shippers, processors, and the businesses that support them. Growers say when the state imposes fees to this magnitude, it doesn’t just “raise revenue.” It kills plans to expand, kills hiring, and for some operations, it kills the business.

“If DOH wants more money, they need to justify it — not steamroll the people who feed Washington and keep our waterfront communities alive,” Couture said.

“This is about drawing a line,” Griffey said. “We can’t pretend a 500% hike is normal. It’s not. It’s a threat to jobs and to an industry that’s part of who we are.”