17-231

17-231. General powers and duties of the
commission

A. The commission shall:

1. Make rules and establish services it deems necessary to carry out the provisions
and purposes of this title.

2. Establish broad policies and long-range programs for the management,
preservation and harvest of wildlife.

3. Establish hunting, trapping and fishing rules and prescribe the manner and
methods which may be used in taking wildlife.

4. Be responsible for the enforcement of laws for the protection of wildlife.

5. Prescribe grades, qualifications and salary schedules for department employees.

6. Provide for the assembling and distribution of information to the public
relating to wildlife and activities of the department.

7. Prescribe rules for the expenditure, by or under the control of the director, of
all funds arising from appropriation, licenses, gifts or other sources.

8. Exercise such powers and duties necessary to carry out fully the provisions of
this title and in general exercise powers and duties which relate to adopting and
carrying out policies of the department and control of its financial affairs.

9. Prescribe procedures for use of department personnel, facilities, equipment,
supplies and other resources in assisting search or rescue operations on request of the
director of the division of emergency management.

10. Cooperate with the Arizona-Mexico commission in the governor's office and with
researchers at universities in this state to collect data and conduct projects in the
United States and Mexico on issues that are within the scope of the department's duties
and that relate to quality of life, trade and economic development in this state in a
manner that will help the Arizona-Mexico commission to assess and enhance the economic
competitiveness of this state and of the Arizona-Mexico region.

B. The commission may:

1. Conduct investigations, inquiries or hearings in the performance of its powers
and duties.

2. Establish game management units or refuges for the preservation and management
of wildlife.

3. Construct and operate game farms, fish hatcheries, fishing lakes or other
facilities for or relating to the preservation or propagation of wildlife.

4. Expend funds to provide training in the safe handling and use of firearms and
safe hunting practices.

5. Remove or permit to be removed from public or private waters fish which hinder
or prevent propagation of game or food fish and dispose of such fish in such manner as it
may designate.

6. Purchase, sell or barter wildlife for the purpose of stocking public or private
lands and waters and take at any time in any manner wildlife for research, propagation
and restocking purposes or for use at a game farm or fish hatchery and declare wildlife
salable when in the public interest or the interest of conservation.

7. Enter into agreements with the federal government, with other states or
political subdivisions of the state and with private organizations for the construction
and operation of facilities and for management studies, measures or procedures for or
relating to the preservation and propagation of wildlife and expend funds for carrying
out such agreements.

8. Prescribe rules for the sale, trade, importation, exportation or possession of
wildlife.

9. Expend monies for the purpose of producing publications relating to wildlife and
activities of the department for sale to the public and establish the price to be paid
for annual subscriptions and single copies of such publications. All monies received from
the sale of such publications shall be deposited in the game and fish publications
revolving fund.

10. Contract with any person or entity to design and produce artwork on terms which,
in the commission's judgment, will produce an original and valuable work of art relating
to wildlife or wildlife habitat.

11. Sell or distribute the artwork authorized under paragraph 10 of this subsection
on such terms and for such price as it deems acceptable.

12. Consider the adverse and beneficial short-term and long-term economic impacts on
resource dependent communities, small businesses and the state of Arizona, of policies
and programs for the management, preservation and harvest of wildlife by holding a public
hearing to receive and consider written comments and public testimony from interested
persons.

C. The commission shall confer and coordinate with the director of water resources
with respect to the commission's activities, plans and negotiations relating to water
development and use, restoration projects under the restoration acts pursuant to chapter
4, article 1 of this title, where water development and use are involved, the abatement
of pollution injurious to wildlife and in the formulation of fish and wildlife aspects of
the director of water resources' plans to develop and utilize water resources of the
state and shall have jurisdiction over fish and wildlife resources and fish and wildlife
activities of projects constructed for the state under or pursuant to the jurisdiction of
the director of water resources.

D. The commission may enter into one or more agreements with a multi-county water
conservation district and other parties for participation in the lower Colorado river
multispecies conservation program under section 48-3713.03, including the collection and
payment of any monies authorized by law for the purposes of the lower Colorado river
multispecies conservation program.