Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf, and South Atlantic; Aquaculture

NMFS issues this final rule to implement the Fishery Management Plan for Regulating Offshore Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). The FMP entered into effect by operation of law on September 3, 2009. This final rule establishes a comprehensive regulatory program for managing the development of an environmentally sound and economically sustainable aquaculture fishery in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), i.e., the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The purpose of this final rule is to increase the yield of Federal fisheries in the Gulf by supplementing the harvest of wild caught species with cultured product.