Aquaculture Fishery Management Plan for the Gulf of Mexico. Country/Territory United States of America Territorial subdivision Texas Document type Miscellaneous Date 2009 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Fisheries, Wild species & ecosystems Keyword Aquaculture Mariculture Policy/planning Cartilaginous fishes Data collection/reporting Monitoring Authorization/permit Stock enhancement/repopulation Drugs Fish disease Fishery management and conservation Indigenous peoples Animal health Management/conservation Protection of habitats Ecosystem preservation Marine mammals Endangered species Coral Marine protected areas Protection of species Protected area Aquatic animals Geographical area Americas, Arctic, East Pacific, North America, North Atlantic Abstract This Fishery Management Plan of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council concerns aquaculture in marine waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The Council has authority to regulate fisheries in federal waters, including aquaculture, under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The purpose of this FMP is to develop a regional permitting process for regulating and promoting environmentally sound and economically sustainable aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It serves as the basis for evaluating the effects of issuing permits to Gulf aquaculture operations. Aquaculture in federal waters is considered “fishing” under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Current Regulations authorize NOAA Fisheries Service to grant exempted fishing permits (EFPs) for aquaculture in federal waters, such permits are of limited duration and are not intended for the large-scale production of fish. As a result, commercial aquaculture in federal waters is not viable under the current permitting process. By establishing a regional permitting process for aquaculture, the Council will be able achieve their primary goal of increasing maximum sustainable yield (MSY) and optimum yield (OY) of federal fisheries in the Gulf by supplementing harvest of wild caught species with cultured product. Full text English Website gulfcouncil.org