And he doesn't like anything shoved down his throat. During the long haul, two boats pull a 1,400-yard net through the sounds, corralling schools of fish and then encircling them on a sandbar. In recent years, however, the long-haul boats have netted increasing numbers of undersized fish, which can't be marketed and usually are boxed as crab bait. Meanwhile, the long haulers have seen their traditional routes crowded with other boaters and fishermen. There are too many nets and crab pots out there.
Fishing is such a diverse industry, there's too many people getting in each other's way.
Changes may come too late To reduce the hauls of young fish, Salter is experimenting with a panel on his nets that looks vaguely like a collection of shower-curtain rings. As the nets are pulled up, small trout and other fish can escape through the rings. State officials say the new nets look promising. But Salter fears that he and other long-haul netters may be forced out of business before such innovations are given a chance to work. In Florida, he notes, voters are considering a referendum that woul d ban most commercial netting operations from inshore waters.