Section 182B. The Schooner Ernestina commission is hereby authorized and empowered:—

(a) to hold, administer, operate, preserve and maintain said vessel for educational or training purposes. Said vessel shall serve as the official vessel of the commonwealth and it may participate in tourism activities in cooperation with the advisory commission on vacation travel;

(b) to authorize the vessel to ply the oceans, seas, and all navigable waters and to fly the flag of the commonwealth; provided, however, that said vessel shall not be used for commercial fishing;

(c) to charge fees or tuition to students, trainees, sailing cadets or others who are carried on voyages or trips for educational or training purposes;

(d) to charge fees to passengers for excursions and tours;

(e) to develop educational programs, including exhibitions and dockside tours of the vessel and to charge and receive admission fees from the public for the provisions of such services;

(f) to retain and expend any fees, tuitions and revenues received under the provisions of clauses (c), (d) and (e). All monies retained and expended shall be reported to the secretary of administration and finance, the department of environmental management and the house and senate committees on ways and means;

(g) to receive and expend from both municipal and federal agencies, as well as private foundations, grants to support the operations, preservation and maintenance of said vessel and to receive and accept contributions from any source of either money, property, labor or other things of value, to be used for the purposes for which said grants and contributions may be made;

(h) to hire, as needed, professional staff to assist with the operation of the vessel;

(i) to contract out, with private and not for profit organizations, the operations and maintenance of the vessel;

(j) and directed to establish fees and tuitions pursuant to clauses (c), (d), (e) and (f) at a level sufficient to ensure the continued operation, preservation and maintenance of the Schooner Ernestina. The commission is hereby further authorized and directed to establish a business and spending plan detailing revenues of and expenditures by said commission which plan shall ensure the continued operation, preservation and maintenance of the Schooner Ernestina. Said plan shall be filed annually on or before March first, to the state auditor, the secretary of administration and finance, the department of environmental management and the house and senate committees on ways and means.