school of fish behind title Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Skip to page Header home about your sanctuary visiting your sanctuary education science management news and events protecting resources image library document library opportunities volunteers advisory council partners NOAA logo - a circle with a stylized seabird in flight; background is dark blue above the bird and light blue below the bird.

blank spacefacebook icon

 

 

Close up view of Christmas tree worms protruding from a coral head

Welcome to a very special place...

Picture yourself over 100 miles from land, in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. At times, the seas can be very unforgiving, and the weather can turn foul in an instant. But here, in the midst of this unpredictable Gulf, lie three of the most beautiful and wild places in all the world. Manta rays, whale sharks, coral heads bigger than cars, hundreds of species of fish and invertebrates... This place teems with life!

Calendar button Marine Forecast button Map Tool button Trip Reports button

Seaside Chats

A building and fishing pier on stilts over the water at sunset.

Beginning in February, the sanctuary will host a series of Seaside Chats to help celebrate their 20th Anniversary.

These FREE presentations will take place at the newly renovated Galveston Fishing Pier. Light refreshments will be served following each talk to provide an opportunity to chat with the presenters and sanctuary staff.

Come learn about the Coral Reefs in your own Backyard!

Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
at the Galveston Fishing Pier (9001 Seawall Blvd)

February 8 Coral Reefs of Texas
February 15 Romance on the Reef
February 22 The New Krewe in Town
February 29 A Diver's Eye View
Sanctuary 20th anniversary logoMarch 7 Manta Rays, Whale Sharks and Turtles, Oh My!

See our Calendar of Events for a more detailed description of each presentation.

Download a Seaside Chats flyer (825kb pdf)

For more information, call 409-621-5151, x105 or email flowergarden@noaa.gov.

Calling All Educators

Divers underwater in the sanctuaryAre you a classroom or informal educator? Are you scuba certified? If so, then we've got the perfect professional development opportunity for you!

Applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Down Under, Out Yonder (DUOY) coral ecology workshop and scuba field experience at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

Workshop Summary and Application Materials

Applications are due by Monday, February 27, 2012

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
4700 Avenue U, Building 216
Galveston, TX 77551
p) 409-621-5151
f) 409-621-1316
flowergarden@noaa.gov

Two-toned blue dashed line

French angelfish in foreground; large boulder corals in background.  French angelfish is dinner plate size oval shaped, blue body with body scales bright yellow on their edges.
   
National Marine Sanctuary logo - a stylized whale tail above waves NOAA logo - a circle with a stylized seabird in flight; background is dark blue above the bird and light blue below the bird.