The Department of Agriculture shall be the lead agency on shellfish in Connecticut. The department: (1) Shall coordinate the activities of other state agencies with regard to shellfish; (2) shall act as a liaison on shellfish matters between the state and municipalities, including local shellfish commissions; (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) 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) shall encourage depuration.