The Florida LAKEWATCH Program is hereby created within the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida. The purpose of the program is to provide public education and training with respect to the water quality of Florida’s lakes. The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture may, in implementing the LAKEWATCH program:(1) Train, supervise, and coordinate volunteers to collect water quality data from Florida’s lakes.
(2) Compile the data collected by volunteers.
(3) Disseminate information to the public about the LAKEWATCH program.
(4) Provide or loan equipment to volunteers in the program.
(5) Perform other functions as may be necessary or beneficial in coordinating the LAKEWATCH program.
Data collected and compiled shall be used to establish trends and provide general background information and shall in no instance be used in a regulatory proceeding.
