A. All information obtained pursuant to the licensed recordkeeping provisions of this Part shall be used for the equitable and efficient administration and enforcement of the laws pertaining to the fisheries resources of the state and for conservation and management purposes.
B. The department shall draft regulations, prescribing procedures to preserve the confidentiality of all fisheries dependent data, information, or statistics submitted or collected pursuant to the provisions of this Section, for approval by the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission and promulgation in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. These regulations shall provide for compliance with all procedures set forth by the United States Department of Commerce, or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, for the confidentiality of fishing statistics collected from individuals or firms by that department, its agencies, or instrumentalities.