(a) To the extent allowed by federal law, money in the game, fish, and water safety account may be used for the following purposes:
(1) enforcement of fish, shrimp, and oyster laws, game laws, and laws pertaining to sand, shell, and gravel;
(2) dissemination of information pertaining to marine life, wild animal life, wildlife values, and wildlife management;
(3) scientific investigation and survey of marine life for the better protection and conservation of marine life;
(4) establishment and maintenance of fish hatcheries, fish sanctuaries, tidal water fish passes, wildlife management areas, and public hunting grounds;
(5) propagation and distribution of marine life, game animals, and wild birds;
(6) protection of wild birds, fish, and game;
(7) purchase, repair, and operation of boats and dredges;
(8) research, management, and protection of the fish and wildlife resources of this state, including alligators and fur-bearing animals;
(9) salaries of employees and other expenses necessary to carry out the duties of the department under laws relating to fish, shrimp, oysters, game, water safety, and sand, shell, and gravel;
(10) expansion and development of additional opportunities of hunting and fishing in state-owned land and water;
(11) removing rough fish from public water;
(12) administration and enforcement of the water safety laws as set out in Chapter 31, including administration of the boater education program established under § 31.108;
(13) purchasing all necessary forms and supplies, including reimbursement of the department for any material produced by its existing facilities or work performed by other divisions of the department;
(14) purchase, construction, and maintenance of boat ramps on or near public waters as provided in Chapter 31;
(15) resource protection activities;
(16) the cleanup of illegal or abandoned cultivated oyster mariculture equipment and related debris in public water; and
(17) any other use provided by law.
(b) The department may use money from license fees paid by hunters and fishermen only for those functions required to manage the fish and wildlife resources of this state.