Subd. 1. Enforcement.

Unless otherwise provided, this chapter and rules adopted under section 84D.12 may be enforced by conservation officers under sections 97A.205, 97A.211, and 97A.221 and by other licensed peace officers.

Subd. 2. Cumulative remedy.

The authority of conservation officers to issue civil citations is in addition to other remedies available under law, except that the state may not seek penalties under any other provision of law for the incident subject to the citation.

Subd. 3. Criminal penalties.

1. (a) A person who violates a provision of section 84D.05, 84D.06, 84D.07, 84D.08, or 84D.10, or a rule adopted under section 84D.12, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
2. (b) A person who refuses to obey an order of a peace officer or conservation officer to remove prohibited exotic species or aquatic macrophytes from any watercraft, trailer, or plant harvesting equipment is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Subd. 4. Warnings; civil citations.

After appropriate training, conservation officers, other licensed peace officers, and other department personnel designated by the commissioner may issue warnings or citations to a person who:

1. (1) unlawfully transports prohibited exotic species or aquatic macrophytes;
2. (2) unlawfully places or attempts to place into waters of the state a trailer, a watercraft, or plant harvesting equipment that has prohibited exotic species attached;
3. (3) unlawfully angles, anchors, or operates a watercraft in a marked area of a Eurasian water milfoil limited infestation; or
4. (4) intentionally damages, moves, removes, or sinks a buoy marking, as prescribed by rule, Eurasian water milfoil.

Subd. 5. Civil penalties.

A civil citation issued under this section may impose civil penalties up to the following penalty amounts:

1. (1) for transporting aquatic macrophytes on a forest road as defined by section 89.001, subdivision 14, road or highway as defined by section 160.02, subdivision 7, or any other public road, $50;
2. (2) for placing or attempting to place into waters of the state a watercraft, a trailer, or plant harvesting equipment that has aquatic macrophytes attached, $100;
3. (3) for transporting a prohibited exotic species other than an aquatic macrophyte, $100;
4. (4) for placing or attempting to place into waters of the state a watercraft, a trailer, or plant harvesting equipment that has prohibited exotic species attached when the waters are not designated by the commissioner as being infested with that species, $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense;
5. (5) for angling, anchoring, or operating a watercraft in a marked area of a Eurasian water milfoil limited infestation, other than as provided by law, $100; and
6. (6) for intentionally damaging, moving, removing, or sinking a buoy marking, as prescribed by rule, Eurasian water milfoil, $100.

Subd. 6. Watercraft license suspension.

A civil citation may be issued to suspend, for up to a year, the watercraft license of an owner or person in control of a watercraft or trailer who refuses to submit to an inspection under section 84D.02, subdivision 4, or who refuses to comply with a removal order given under section 84D.13.

Subd. 7. Satisfaction of civil penalties.

A civil penalty is due and a watercraft license suspension is effective 30 days after issuance of the civil citation. A civil penalty collected under this section is payable to the commissioner and must be credited to the water recreation account.

Subd. 8. Appeal of civil citations and penalties.

A civil citation and penalty may be appealed under the procedures in section 116.072, subdivision 6, if the person to whom the citation was issued requests a hearing by notifying the commissioner within 15 days after receipt of the citation. If a hearing is not requested within the 15-day period, the citation becomes a final order not subject to further review.