RCW 77.15.250
Unlawful release or possession of fish, shellfish, or wildlife—Penalty—Unlawful release of deleterious exotic wildlife—Penalty.
(1)(a) A person is guilty of unlawfully releasing, planting, possessing, or placing fish, shellfish, or wildlife if the person knowingly releases, plants, possesses, or places live fish, shellfish, wildlife, or aquatic plants within the state in violation of this title or rule of the department, and the fish, shellfish, or wildlife have not been classified as deleterious wildlife. This subsection does not apply to a release of game fish into private waters for which a game fish stocking permit has been obtained, or the planting of fish or shellfish by permit of the commission.
(b) A violation of this subsection is a gross misdemeanor. In addition, the department shall order the person to pay all costs the department incurred in capturing, killing, or controlling the fish, shellfish, aquatic plants, wildlife, or progeny unlawfully released, planted, possessed, or placed. This does not affect the existing authority of the department to bring a separate civil action to recover costs of capturing, killing, or controlling the fish, shellfish, aquatic plants, wildlife, or progeny unlawfully released, planted, possessed, or placed, or the costs of habitat restoration necessitated by the unlawful release, planting, possession, or placing.
(2)(a) A person is guilty of unlawfully releasing, planting, possessing, or placing deleterious exotic wildlife if the person knowingly releases, plants, possesses, or places live fish, shellfish, or wildlife within the state in violation of this title or rule of the department, and the fish, shellfish, or wildlife have been classified as deleterious exotic wildlife by rule of the commission.
(b) A violation of this subsection is a class C felony. In addition, the department shall order the person to pay all costs the department incurred in capturing, killing, or controlling the fish, shellfish, wildlife, or progeny unlawfully released, planted, possessed, or placed. This does not affect the existing authority of the department to bring a separate civil action to recover costs of capturing, killing, or controlling the fish, shellfish, wildlife, or progeny unlawfully released, planted, possessed, or placed, or the costs of habitat restoration necessitated by the unlawful release, planting, possession, or placing.
[ 2014 c 48 § 12; 2001 c 253 § 32; 1998 c 190 § 31.]
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 77.15 - Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Code.
77.15.010 - Exemption for department actions.
77.15.030 - Individual animal unlawfully taken—Separate offense.
77.15.050 - "Conviction" defined.
77.15.060 - Reference to chapters 7.84 and 9A.20 RCW.
77.15.065 - Authority of attorney general if prosecuting attorney defaults.
77.15.070 - Civil forfeiture of property used for violation of chapter.
77.15.075 - Enforcement authority of fish and wildlife officers—Volunteer chaplain.
77.15.085 - Seizure without warrant.
77.15.090 - Search, arrest warrant—Issuance—Execution.
77.15.092 - Arrest without warrant.
77.15.094 - Search without warrant—Seizure of evidence, property—Limitation.
77.15.096 - Inspection without warrant—Commercial fish and wildlife entities—Limitations.
77.15.098 - Willful misconduct/gross negligence—Civil liability.
77.15.110 - Acting for commercial purposes—When—Proof.
77.15.120 - Endangered fish or wildlife—Unlawful taking—Penalty.
77.15.150 - Poison or explosives—Unlawful use—Penalty.
77.15.160 - Infractions—Penalties.
77.15.170 - Waste of fish and wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.180 - Unlawful interference with fishing or hunting gear—Penalty.
77.15.190 - Unlawful trapping—Penalty.
77.15.191 - Revocation of trapper's license—Placement of unauthorized traps.
77.15.194 - Unlawful traps—Penalty.
77.15.196 - Unlawful poison—Penalty.
77.15.198 - Violation of RCW 77.15.194 or 77.15.196—Penalty.
77.15.210 - Obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.212 - Damages due to violation of RCW 77.15.210—Civil action.
77.15.230 - Department lands or facilities—Unlawful use—Penalty.
77.15.260 - Unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, or wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.270 - Providing false information—Penalty.
77.15.280 - Reporting of fish or wildlife harvest—Rules violation—Penalty.
77.15.290 - Unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife—Penalty.
77.15.300 - Unlawful hydraulic project activities—Penalty.
77.15.340 - Unlawful operation of a game farm—Penalty.
77.15.350 - Inspection and disease control of aquatic farms—Rules violation—Penalty.
77.15.360 - Unlawful interfering in department operations—Penalty.
77.15.380 - Unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree—Penalty.
77.15.382 - Unlawful use of shellfish gear for personal use purposes—Penalty.
77.15.390 - Seaweed—Unlawful taking—Penalty.
77.15.395 - Hunter safety—Visible clothing requirement—Penalty.
77.15.400 - Unlawful hunting of wild birds—Violation of a rule requiring nontoxic shot—Penalty.
77.15.410 - Unlawful hunting of big game—Penalty.
77.15.420 - Illegally taken or possessed wildlife—Criminal wildlife penalty assessed.
77.15.425 - Fish and wildlife enforcement reward account.
77.15.430 - Unlawful hunting of wild animals—Penalty.
77.15.440 - Weapons, traps, or dogs on game reserves—Unlawful use—Penalty.
77.15.450 - Spotlighting big game—Penalty.
77.15.470 - Wildlife check stations or field inspections—Unlawful avoidance—Penalty.
77.15.480 - Certain devices declared public nuisances.
77.15.500 - Commercial fishing without a license—Penalty.
77.15.510 - Acting as a game fish guide, food fish guide, or chartering without a license—Penalty.
77.15.520 - Commercial fishing—Unlawful gear or methods—Penalty.
77.15.522 - Unlawful use of shellfish gear for commercial purposes—Penalty.
77.15.530 - Unlawful use of a nondesignated vessel—Penalty.
77.15.540 - Unlawful use of a commercial fishery license—Penalty.
77.15.550 - Violation of commercial fishing area or time—Penalty.
77.15.552 - Qualifying commercial fishing violations.
77.15.554 - License suspension review committee.
77.15.565 - Wholesale fish buyer a limited fish seller—Accounting of commercial harvest—Penalties.
77.15.568 - Secondary commercial fish receiver's failure to account for commercial harvest—Penalty.
77.15.580 - Unlawful use of net to take fish—Penalty.
77.15.590 - Commercial fishing vessel—Unlawful use for recreational or charter fishing—Penalty.
77.15.600 - Engaging in commercial wildlife activity without a license—Penalty.
77.15.610 - Unlawful use of a commercial wildlife license—Penalty.
77.15.620 - Engaging in fish dealing activity without a license—Penalty.
77.15.630 - Unlawful fish and shellfish catch accounting—Penalty.
77.15.640 - Unlawful wholesale fish buying and dealing—Penalty.
77.15.650 - Unlawful purchase or use of a license—Penalty.
77.15.660 - Unlawful use of scientific permit—Penalty.
77.15.675 - Hunting while intoxicated—Penalty.
77.15.680 - Department authority to suspend privileges—Form and procedure.
77.15.690 - Department authority to revoke licenses.
77.15.700 - Grounds for department revocation and suspension of recreational license—Appeal.
77.15.710 - Conviction for assault—Revocation of licenses and suspension of privileges.
77.15.730 - Wildlife violator compact citations and convictions.
77.15.732 - Citations from wildlife violator compact party state—Failure to comply.
77.15.740 - Protection of southern resident orca whales—Unlawful activities—Penalty.
77.15.750 - Unlawful use of a department permit—Penalty.
77.15.760 - Suspension of a master hunter permit—Appeal hearing.
77.15.770 - Unlawful trade in shark fins—Penalty.
77.15.780 - Disposition of judicially forfeited seized property.
77.15.800 - Engaging in wildlife rehabilitation without a permit—Penalty.
77.15.803 - Inspection of aquatic conveyance.
77.15.805 - Violation of an invasive species law—Warrant.
77.15.807 - Invasive species in or on water body or property—Warrant.
77.15.809 - Unlawful use of invasive species in the second degree—Penalty.
77.15.811 - Unlawful use of invasive species in the first degree—Penalty.
77.15.813 - Unlawfully engaging in fishing guide activity—Penalty.
77.15.815 - Unlawfully engaging in commercial whale watching—Penalty.