85-2-223. Public recreational uses. The department of fish, wildlife, and parks shall exclusively represent the public for purposes of establishing any prior and existing public recreational use in existing right determinations under this part, provided that the foregoing shall not exclude a federal governmental entity from representing the public for the purpose of establishing any prior and existing public recreational use in existing right determinations under this part. The foregoing shall not be construed in any manner as a legislative determination of whether or not a recreational use sought to be established prior to July 1, 1973, is or was a beneficial use.