FORT MYERS, Fla. - Trappers and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gathered in Tampa today to discuss the state's alligator catching program. 

Florida is looking to sign contracts with several trappers instead of assigning a single trapper to cover more than one county.

Every year FWC get over 13,000 complaints to its Nuisance Alligator Hotline.

"More people, more complaints, because people are crowding the gator's territory," Gatorama's Benjamin Register said.
 
Register says he likes the proposed changes, "I think it's a great idea, back in the day one trapper would have like a whole county or two counties."

Like others he is also concerned the new, smaller territories will cut into their bottom line since the demand for gator hides is down and the gas prices are up.

"You have to spend more money on fuel, your truck and your boat, so yeah, high gas prices made it difficult on us," he said.

But hiring extra trappers to handle the calls might be complicated because of difficult economic conditions.

Trappers also say it maybe hard to find people with the right experience.

FWC told WINK their current program has been very effective and regardless of any future changes, their main goal is public safety.