The legislature may wish to consider legislation that clarifies the responsibilities of and the relationship between the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. This legislation should ensure efficient and coordinated management of Louisiana's wildlife resources. This report has found several instances in which the department's missions and goals are not consistent with legal authority. We also found examples of activities that do not have legal authority. First, state law does not specifically provide for an education program within the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Some laws provide for certain education courses.
However, the Education Program provides education functions in areas not specifically authorized by law. Second, the executive budget includes the marketing program in the Office of the Secretary. Yet there is no mission statement for this program in the executive budget, and the executive budget does not disclose that the Marketing Program is comprised of separate boards. Thus, legislators may not realize that this program is not a department function. The mission statement of the Office of Management and Finance includes conducting socioeconomic research and issuing licenses and registrations to the public.