EXPEDITIONS
The sanctuary sponsors, coordinates and participates in a variety of expeditions each year. Some expeditions are conducted aboard NOAA Research Vessels, some aboard vessels chartered by the sanctuary, and still others aboard vessels made available courtesy of sanctuary partners. In addition to research conducted within sanctuary boundaries, the team also explores and investigates outside the sanctuary.
When communications allow, research updates are posted to our Facebook page during expeditions. Summary reports are usually written following each expedition, and may be added to the web site as links from the expedition descriptions below.
You can see where the R/V MANTA is at any point during an expedition and examine the automated SeaKeeper 1000 water quality data collected in transit and during operations.
Any future expedition dates listed below are subject to change due to weather, equipment, and scheduling issues.
2012 EXPEDITION SCHEDULE
May 11-15, 2012
LTM Refurbishment, R/V MANTA
- Refurbishment of long-term monitoring stations on reef.
May 19-26, 2012
UTMSI, R/V MANTA
June 1-5, 2012
CRCP ROV, R/V MANTA
- ROV operations sponsored by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.
June 9-16, 2012
TAMU, R/V MANTA
June 19-22, 2012
Stetson LTM, R/V MANTA
- Long-term monitoring data collection at Stetson Bank.
June 28-July 3, 2012
PSBF ROV, R/V MANTA
- ROV operations.
July 6-11, 2012
PSBF ROV, R/V MANTA
- ROV operations.
July 23-27, 2012
LTM,
R/V MANTA
- Long-term monitoring data collection at East and West Flower Garden Banks.
July 30-August 3, 2012
LTM, R/V MANTA
- Long-term monitoring data collection at East and West Flower Garden Banks.
August 7-11, 2012
Coral Spawning, R/V MANTA
- Mass coral spawning observations and data collection.
August 14-19, 2012
TAMU, R/V MANTA
August 23-27, 2012
CRCP Tech, R/V MANTA
- Technical diving operations sponsored by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.
August 30-September 3, 2012
CRCP Tech, R/V MANTA
- Technical diving operations sponsored by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.
September 14-19, 2012
CRCP Shallow, R/V MANTA
- Reef cap diving operations sponsored by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.
September 24-28, 2012
PSBF ROV, R/V MANTA
- ROV operations.
October 1-5, 2012
PSBF ROV, R/V MANTA
- ROV operations.
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PRIOR EXPEDITIONS
2011 Expeditions
2010 Expeditions
2009 Expeditions
2008 Expeditions
2007 Expeditions
2006 Expeditions
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CONDUCTING RESEARCH
If you are interested in conducting research on one of our expeditions, please contact Emma.Hickerson@noaa.gov for more information.
EXPEDITIONS OUTSIDE THE SANCTUARY
A question frequently asked by sanctuary constituents is "Why do sanctuary staff conduct research outside the sanctuary?" There are a couple of reasons:
- The Flower Garden and Stetson Banks do not exist in a vacuum. They are part of the
Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. Sanctuary resources cannot be protected if we do not know
what is happening outside the boundaries that may affect the resources within the
boundaries.
Click on the map to get a larger view
An excellent example of this is the recent realization that the sea floor
between the many banks scattered across the continental shelf is far
from the flat, featureless expansion it was once thought to be. Rather, the banks are
connected by low-relief outcroppings, potentially providing a kind of "fish highway"
where animals can move between banks and still have a little protection and food source
for the journey.
If the sanctuary team had restricted its explorations, this discovery
would have taken longer.
- The world of knowledge and research techniques is constantly expanding. Like any other professionals, researchers must remain sharp and current on their knowledge and skills so that the sanctuary can benefit from the latest innovations.
Participating in non-sanctuary research projects is a kind of continuing education for sanctuary staff, allowing exchanges with researchers from different regions and disciplines.
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