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Times staff writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 16, 2000
BILL BAYLESS is a shrimper from New Port Richey.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE PASCO? "I've lived here ever since I was a kid. We travel up and down the coast looking for shrimp, and Pasco, Hernando and Citrus are the main areas for this type of shrimp."
WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN FOR OTHER SHRIMPERS? "How long are we going to be able to do this? The future depends on the government. There's nothing wrong with rules and regulations, and sometimes rules and regulations have helped us. As long as they don't put us out of business."
HOW HAS THE BOOMING ECONOMY AFFECTED THE BAIT SHRIMP INDUSTRY? "We're selling more shrimp than we have over the years."
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE FOR SHRIMPERS? "We're doing fine. I don't see any changes or new trends."
WHAT SKILLS ARE NEEDED TO BE A SHRIMPER? "The job is mostly based on Mother Nature. The weather, the shrimp, the moon, the tides. It can be tough work sometimes. Sometimes it's cold, there are no shrimp and you don't catch anything. You have to go in these conditions. It's like any other job -- the more you do it, the better you get at it."