The Department of Agriculture shall be the lead agency on shellfish in Connecticut. The department:

1. (1) Shall coordinate the activities of other state agencies with regard to shellfish;
2. (2) shall act as a liaison on shellfish matters between the state and municipalities, including local shellfish commissions;
3. (3) shall take steps necessary to ensure compliance with federal standards for the shellfish sanitation program and compliance with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance, as amended from time to time;
4. (4) may, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, enter into agreements with municipalities to utilize available municipal resources for monitoring and testing; and
5. (5) shall encourage depuration.

(P.A. 89-321, S. 1, 12; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(f); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; 04-223, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 93-381 replaced department of health services with department of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Department of Agriculture with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 04-223 added reference to Model Ordinance, as amended from time to time, effective July 1, 2004.