Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic; Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Amendment 17B

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 17B to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico U.S. Waters, (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule allows for the creation of a Federal Gulf shrimp reserve pool permit when certain conditions are met, and allows non-federally permitted Gulf shrimp vessels to transit through the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Amendment 17B also defines the aggregate maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and aggregate optimum yield (OY), and determines a minimum number of commercial vessel moratorium permits in the fishery. This final rule also makes technical corrections to the regulations that revise the coordinates for the Tortugas shrimp sanctuary in the Gulf, and corrects the provisions regarding the harvest and possession of wild live rock in Gulf Federal waters. The purpose of this final rule and Amendment 17B is to protect federally managed Gulf shrimp stocks while maintaining catch efficiency, economic efficiency, and stability in the fishery.