According to the Council the emergency rule will close the bottom longline fishery in waters less than 50 fathoms for the entire eastern Gulf of Mexico and will become effective immediately upon implementation. A 2006-2007 NOAA Fisheries Service report revealed that the number of threatened loggerhead sea turtles that have been caught in the bottom longline fishery has exceeded authorized levels.
Experts believe that this temporary emergency rule will reduce the fishing impacts on this threatened species until the Gulf Council can further develop an amendment to its Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan that will address the issue in the long term. Once implemented, the emergency rule would be in effect for 180 days, and it could be extended for an additional 186 days.
The Gulf Council has taken final decision on its Aquaculture Fishery Management Plan, sending it to the Secretary of Commerce for review and implementation. It is informed that the plan provides a regional permitting process for regulating aquaculture in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Joe Hendrix, Council Member, told that the Gulf Council has taken a major step toward creating a new industry in the Gulf of Mexico to provide a safe source of seafood for US consumers.
It is informed that the plan will allow fish farms to be installed only after careful application review and, once installed, the facilities will be under strict regulatory supervision by three Federal agencies.
