(Originally aired in the summer of 1997)
(Photos courtesy of Brittany Thompson)
Nearly two years have passed since a long-time industry came to a screeching halt in Florida. A controversial net ban, passed by an overwhelming majority of Florida voters, has ended a way of life for thousands of commercial fishermen in the state. Many coastal communities continue to struggle today because their economies depended solely on the fishing industry. But in the sleepy, gulf coast community of Cedar Key, a new industry is emerging. In this story aired on Florida Public Radio, Donna Green-Townsend reports how former mullet fishermen, oystermen and crabbers have turned to aquaculture to turn things around.
Net Ban Part 1
Net Ban Part 2