Powers and duties of department

The department shall: (1) Manage and administer the wildlife and wildlife resources of the State; (2) Enforce all laws relating to the protecting, taking, hunting, killing, propagating, or increasing the wildlife within the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction; (3) Recognize that: (A) Game mammals and game birds provide a sustainable food source that merits high-quality habitats with sufficient food, water, and refuge to support viable populations sufficient for hunting; (B) Proper management of game populations in appropriate areas minimizes the impacts of these populations and provides benefits to important watershed areas, including weed control and the reduction of grass fire fuel; and (C) The State's unique relationship with the ocean requires careful consideration and management of land and ocean activities that prioritize the public trust responsibilities of the State, including the conservation of natural resources for future generations and the protection of native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices pursuant to article XI, section 1, and article XII, section 7, of the Hawaii State Constitution respectively; (4) Establish and maintain wildlife propagating facility or facilities; (5) Subject to the provisions of title 12, import wildlife for the purpose of propagating and disseminating the same in the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction; (6) Distribute, free of charge, as the department deems to be in the public interest, game for the purpose of increasing the food supply of the State; provided that when in the discretion of the department the public interest will not be materially interfered with by so doing, the department may propagate and furnish wildlife to private parties, upon any reasonable terms, conditions, and prices that the department may determine; (7) Ascertain, compile, and disseminate, free of charge, information and advice as to the best methods of protecting, propagating, and distributing wildlife in the State and the waters subject to its jurisdiction; (8) Gather and compile information and statistics concerning the area, location, character, and increase and decrease of wildlife in the State; (9) Gather and compile information concerning wildlife recommended for release in different localities, including the care and propagation of wildlife for protective, productive, and aesthetic purposes and other useful information, which the department deems proper; (10) Have the power to manage and regulate all lands which may be set apart as game management areas, public hunting areas, and wildlife sanctuaries; (11) Pursuant to section 183D-65 of this chapter, destroy predators deemed harmful to wildlife; (12) Formulate, and from time to time recommend to the governor and legislature, any additional legislation necessary or desirable to implement the objectives of title 12; and (13) Preserve, protect, and promote public hunting.