The department, or a designee of the department acting in compliance with a permit issued by the department, may take fish in any manner, in any of the waters mentioned in this part, at any and all seasons of the year, for the purpose of fish culture or scientific investigation; may have and hold ripe and unripe fish in order to take spawn from the fish; may sell all of those ripe and unripe fish; and may devote the proceeds of the sales exclusively toward defraying the expenses incurred in taking the fish and fertilizing and planting the spawn from the fish.