Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, July 31, 2026 —

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has reportedly accessed the personal data of at least 20 environmental activists and critics, including a 72-year-old retired turtle farmer, multiple times over an 18-month period. The individuals targeted are known for their criticism of the state agency, particularly concerning pesticide use.

Jim Watt, a retired turtle farmer from Florida who has been vocal in his critiques of the FWC, had his personal data accessed by the agency 34 times. These access instances occurred between June 2023 and February 2025. The agency reportedly cited “criminal investigation” as the reason for accessing this information.

This practice is not isolated to Watt. Reports indicate that over 20 other individuals, who have also been critical of the FWC, have had their personal data accessed by the agency. The FWC stated that these actions are taken for “public safety purposes” and to assess “credible threats.”

However, critics of the FWC allege that this constitutes a misuse of law enforcement tools. They suggest that the agency’s actions could potentially infringe upon free speech rights. This concern is heightened by the fact that many of the individuals whose data was accessed reportedly have no history of making threats or attending FWC commission meetings.

The specific nature of the “criminal investigations” has not been detailed. The duration of the data access spans from June 2023 through February 2025. The number of individuals whose data was accessed is stated to be over 20, in addition to Jim Watt.



Story summarized from the original created by By Max Chesnes, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.

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