No person shall transport into this state any wild hare or rabbit or liberate in this state any such animal which has been so transported, without a permit from the commissioner, except that wild hares known as snowshoe rabbits or variant hares may be imported without a permit from any of the New England states or the Province of Quebec or the maritime provinces of Canada and liberated in this state, subject to regulations issued by the commissioner, any statute to the contrary notwithstanding. The commissioner may quarantine, confiscate, destroy or otherwise dispose of any wild hare or rabbit other than a snowshoe rabbit or variant hare imported into this state and may make regulations as to importation and liberation of any such animal. Any person who violates any provision of this section or any regulation made under any such provision shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars.