1. Confidential information. Information submitted to the department pursuant to provisions regarding special licenses for research, aquaculture or education under section 6074, surveillance and inspection of all segments of the State’s fishing industries under section 6102 or the shellfish sanitation certificate and the depuration certificate under section 6856 may be designated by the submittor as proprietary information and as being only for the confidential use of the department, its agents and employees, other agencies of State Government, as authorized by the Governor, and the Attorney General. The designation must be clearly indicated on each page or other unit of information. The commissioner shall establish procedures to ensure that information so designated is segregated from public records of the department. The department’s public records must include the indication that information so designated has been submitted to the department, giving the name of the submittor and the general nature of the information. Upon a request for information the scope of which includes information so designated, the commissioner shall notify the submittor. Within 15 days after receipt of the notice, the submittor shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department that the designated information should not be disclosed because the information is proprietary information. Unless such a demonstration is made, the information must be disclosed and becomes a public record. The department may grant or deny disclosure for all or any part of the designated information requested and within 15 days shall give written notice of the decision to the submittor and the person requesting the designated information. A person aggrieved by a decision of the department under this subsection may appeal to the Superior Court.

2. Release information. The commissioner may not release information designated under subsection 1 prior to the expiration of the time allowed for the filing of an appeal or to the rendering of the decision on any appeal.

3. Definition. For purposes of this section, “proprietary information” means information that is a trade secret or production, commercial or financial information the disclosure of which would impair the competitive position of the submittor and would make available information not otherwise publicly available.