1. (1) In any alligator management and trapping program that the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission shall establish, the commission shall have the authority to adopt all rules necessary for full and complete implementation of such alligator management and trapping program, and, in order to ensure its lawful, safe, and efficient operation in accordance therewith, may:

   1. (a) Regulate the marketing and sale of alligators, their hides, eggs, meat, and byproducts, including the development and maintenance of a state-sanctioned sale.
   2. (b) Regulate the handling and processing of alligators, their eggs, hides, meat, and byproducts, for the lawful, safe, and sanitary handling and processing of same.
   3. (c) Regulate commercial alligator farming facilities and operations for the captive propagation and rearing of alligators and their eggs.

   4. (d) Provide hide-grading services by two or more individuals pursuant to state-sanctioned sales if rules are first promulgated by the commission governing:

      1. All grading-related services to be provided pursuant to this section;

      2. Criteria for qualifications of persons to serve as hide-graders for grading services to be provided pursuant to this section; and

      3. The certification process by which hide-graders providing services pursuant to this section will be certified.

   5. (e) Provide sales-related services by contract pursuant to state-sanctioned sales if rules governing such services are first promulgated by the commission.
2. (2) All contractors of the commission for the grading, marketing, and sale of alligators and their hides, eggs, meat, and byproducts shall not engage in any act constituting a conflict of interest under part III of chapter 112.
3. (3) The commission shall provide adequate notice of state-sanctioned sales and may maintain a list of known hide buyers and provide notice of state sales by mail. Nothing herein shall authorize the commission to engage in marketing or promotion of the sale of alligator hides or products other than by providing the public notice described herein. The commission is authorized to market alligator hides or products obtained as a result of its law enforcement actions or its nuisance alligator control programs.

4. (4) The powers and duties of the commission hereunder shall not be construed so as to supersede the regulatory authority or lawful responsibility of the ¹Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or any local governmental entity regarding the processing or handling of food products, but shall be deemed supplemental thereto.

   ¹Note.--The Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services was redesignated as the Department of Children and Family Services by s. 5, ch. 96-403, and the Department of Health was created by s. 8, ch. 96-403.

History.--s. 3, ch. 87-199.