(1) The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks may establish and operate a fish hatchery in North Mississippi at a site to be determined by the department with the approval of the commission to enable the department to adequately stock public lakes and streams in North Mississippi. For such purpose, the department shall use those funds that are made available by any agency of the state or federal government, an appropriation by the Legislature or any other source. The department is designated as the governing authority of any such fish hatchery and the operation and maintenance of the fish hatchery shall meet the standards of the department and state law regarding the operation of a fish hatchery. The department may accept funds from any source and those funds shall be used to pay the maintenance, operational and administrative expenses of the fish hatchery.

(2) The Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District is authorized to transfer to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks fee title of no more than eighty (80) acres of approved replacement land to be surveyed from the following tract of land:

The Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 20, Township 12, Range 8, Monroe County, Mississippi, containing 40 acres more or less.

All that land in the Northeast Quarter; north of a line starting at monument stamped “LA-42A”; and running northeasterly to a monument stamped “LA-43”, Section 20, Township 12, Range 8, Monroe County, Mississippi, containing 105.42 acres more or less.

The land shall be transferred once an acceptable lease agreement between the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is secured and the department is given the authority and appropriation to construct a fish hatchery.

(3) The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall have the authority to transfer the land necessary to reach the equal value for lands offered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the construction of a fish hatchery.