Surfclam harvest data, statistics or other information collected from individual permit holders by the department or the Federal government shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except to an authorized user or when required under court order; provided, however, that the department may release or make public any statistics in an aggregate or summary form (with no less than three license holders contributing to that statistic) which does not directly or indirectly disclose the identity of any person who submits such statistics. For the purposes of these regulations, an “authorized user” is any person that is employed by or under contract to the department or who is employed by or under contract with the National Marine Fisheries Service, and has been designated by such agency to require confidential data as a means to fulfill their job responsibilities related to surfclam management and conservation.