Department's powers and duties

The department shall: (1) Manage and administer the aquatic life and aquatic resources of the State; (2) Establish and maintain aquatic life propagating station or stations; (3) Establish, manage, and regulate public fishing areas, artificial reefs, fish aggregating devices, marine life conservation districts, shoreline fishery management areas, refuges, and other areas pursuant to title 12; (4) Subject to this title, import aquatic life for the purpose of propagating and disseminating the same in the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction; (5) Distribute, free of charge, as the department deems to be in the public interest, aquatic life, for the purpose of increasing the food supply of the State; provided that when, in the discretion of the department, the public interest shall not be materially interfered with by so doing, the department may propagate and furnish aquatic life to private parties, upon such reasonable terms, conditions, and prices determined by the department; (6) Gather and compile information and statistics concerning the habitat and character of, and increase and decrease in, aquatic resources in the State, including the care and propagation of aquatic resources for protective, productive, and aesthetic purposes, and other useful information, which the department deems proper; (7) Enforce all laws relating to the protecting, taking, killing, propagating, or increasing of aquatic life within the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction; and (8) Formulate and from time to time recommend to the governor and legislature such additional legislation necessary or desirable to implement the objectives of title 12.