§187A-2  Powers and duties of department. The department shall:

(1)  Manage and administer the aquatic life andaquatic resources of the State;

(2)  Establish and maintain aquatic life propagatingstation or stations;

(3)  Establish, manage, and regulate public fishingareas, artificial reefs, fish aggregating devices, marine life conservationdistricts, shoreline fishery management areas, refuges, and other areaspursuant to title 12;

(4)  Subject to this title, import aquatic life forthe purpose of propagating and disseminating the same in the State and thewaters subject to its jurisdiction;

(5)  Distribute, free of charge, as the departmentdeems to be in the public interest, aquatic life, for the purpose of increasingthe food supply of the State; provided that when, in the discretion of thedepartment, the public interest shall not be materially interfered with by sodoing, the department may propagate and furnish aquatic life to privateparties, upon such reasonable terms, conditions, and prices determined by thedepartment;

(6)  Gather and compile information and statisticsconcerning the habitat and character of, and increase and decrease in, aquaticresources in the State, including the care and propagation of aquatic resourcesfor protective, productive, and aesthetic purposes, and other usefulinformation, which the department deems proper;

(7)  Enforce all laws relating to the protecting,taking, killing, propagating, or increasing of aquatic life within the Stateand the waters subject to its jurisdiction; and

(8)  Formulate and from time to time recommend to thegovernor and legislature such additional legislation necessary or desirable toimplement the objectives of title 12. [L 1985, c 94, pt of §1; am L 1998, c176, §7]

 

Cross References

 

  Aquaculture advisorycouncil, see chapter 189G.

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  Protecting Hawai‘i'sFisheries:  Creating an Effective Regulatory Scheme to Sustain Hawai‘i's FishStocks.  29 UH L. Rev. 243.