The departments of corrections and fish and wildlife shall establish at or near appropriate state institutions, as defined in RCW 72.65.010, prison work programs that use prisoners to undertake state food fish, shellfish, and game fish rearing projects and state game bird and game animal improvement, restoration, and protection projects and that meet the requirements of RCW 72.09.100.

The department of corrections shall seek to identify a group of prisoners at each appropriate state institution, as defined by RCW 72.65.010, that are interested in participating in prison work programs established by this chapter.

If the department of corrections is unable to identify a group of prisoners to participate in work programs authorized by this chapter, it may enter into an agreement with the department of fish and wildlife for the purpose of designing projects for any institution. Costs under this section shall be borne by the department of corrections.

The departments of corrections and fish and wildlife shall use prisoners, where appropriate, to perform work in state projects that may include the following types:

(1) Food fish, shellfish, and game fish rearing projects, including but not limited to egg planting, egg boxes, juvenile planting, pen rearing, pond rearing, raceway rearing, and egg taking;

(2) Game bird and game animal projects, including but not limited to habitat improvement and restoration, replanting and transplanting, nest box installation, pen rearing, game protection, and supplemental feeding: PROVIDED, That no project shall be established at the department of fish and wildlife’s south Tacoma game farm;

(3) Manufacturing of equipment for use in fish and game volunteer cooperative projects permitted by the department of fish and wildlife, or for use in prison work programs with fish and game; and

(4) Maintenance, repair, restoration, and redevelopment of facilities operated by the department of fish and wildlife.