The Caribbean is better well-known for pearls than the Gulf of Mexico, but the latitude is right for pearl farming west of the panhandle and near Mexico. I am not sure, but I think I remember something about black-lip in that area. I am not sure about South Sea, however, because I think the water is too warm (32 degree C and they die). The latitude would be ok for Akoya as well, but I do not know if their is a native habitat. One thing that would be very good about farming in Florida, however, is the proximity to the Mississippi shell. But as most of the processing to nuclei is done in Japan you would have to find a source local.