On December 29, 2005, the National Marine Fisheries Service published a final rule establishing a new trip limit for the commercial shallow-water grouper (black grouper, gag, red grouper, yellow-fin grouper, scamp, yellowmouth grouper, rock hind, and red hind) and deep-water grouper (misty grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind) fisheries in the federal exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to Florida. The final rule also replaced the stepped down trip limit system that had been implemented earlier in 2005. The purpose of this rule amendment pursuant to the expedited provisions of Section 120.54(6), Florida Statutes, is to conform state rules governing harvest of groupers in Florida waters of the Gulf of Mexico to these new federal trip limits. The effect of the rule amendment will be to assure enforcement of both state and federal rules and protect the health and abundance of Gulf grouper stocks.