The department may issue a special operating authorization for passenger vessels conducting or assisting in research and testing activities to determine the presence of invasive species in ballast water collected in the waters of southeast Alaska north of latitude fifty-four degrees thirty minutes north to sixty-one degrees ten minutes north, extending to longitude one hundred forty-nine degrees thirty minutes west. The department may adopt rules for defining special operating authorization conditions, requirements, limitations, and fees as necessary to implement this section, consistent with the intent of this chapter.