Our annual Seaside Chat series is concluded for 2018, however, you still have an opportunity to enjoy the presentations through archived recordings of the webinars.
February 21
Corals: More than Your Garden Variety
February 28
Okeanos Expedition 2017: Surprising Finds in the Gulf of Mexico
Archived Webinar - Okeanos Expedition 2017
March 7
Reef Resilience: Bleaching, Mortality and Hurricanes, Oh My!
Instead of a 1-day derby to eliminate lionfish, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary hosts a 4-day Lionfish Invitational. This works better for the challenges we face with a reef that is so far offshore, and allows us ample time to collect scientific data long the way.
For 2018, we will be hosting two trips in partnership with Texas Lionfish Control Unit, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Fling Charters, and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Dates: June 24-28, 2018 and August 26-30, 2018
Cost: $625 per person, per trip
If you are interested in participating in either trip, applications are due by March 31st.
The sanctuary research team was involved in 19 research cruises and expeditions during the 2017 field season, including the use of R/V MANTA for a total of 51 days. During the course of these expeditions, 28 NOAA divers, scientists, and reciprocity divers conducted 665 scuba dives.
Research activities included biological surveys and sample collection, response to Hurricane Harvey, continued response to the 2016 mortality and bleaching event, removal of invasive species, equipment installationa and maintenance, image collection, guardian mask training, hydraulic drilling training, and dive safety training. Twelve sanctuary permits were processed, and an additional nine are ongoing.
After seeing a manta ray for the first time, Foster Scholar Joshua Stewart felt an instant connection with these playful gentle giants. Stewart’s research focuses on effective manta conservation and management in the face of human impacts.
One important habitat Stewart is studying is Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, one of the only locations in the continental United States with resident manta populations.
HI-A-389A is a gas production platform located within sanctuary boundaries at East Flower Garden Bank. It has come to the end of its productive life and is slated for removal. Based on the public’s desire to keep a portion of the structure in place for fishing and diving, the top portion of the structure will be removed down to 65 feet. The lower portion, from 65-400 feet, will remain in place.
The document package below includes background material for this partial removal and the Environmental Assessments pertaining to the development of an artificial reef within the sanctuary. Additional information is under development and will be shared as it becomes available. For further information or questions, please contact Emma.Hickerson@noaa.gov
Can’t get to your national marine sanctuaries? Thanks to the wonders of 360-degree photography and virtual reality, these underwater treasures are now just a few mouse clicks away.
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has launched a virtual dive gallery, complete with immersive 360-degree views of five national marine sanctuaries including the Flower Garden Banks.
Would you like to receive regular updates about sanctuary news and events? Want to learn more about diving and fishing issues in the Gulf of Mexico? Or perhaps you'd like to know more about volunteer or research opportunities? Maybe education resources?
We have 6 different email lists designed to keep people informed on these sanctuary-related topics. All you have to do is sign up!
A public meeting of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council's Boundary Expansion Working Group will take place on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, 5-8 p.m. at the sanctuary offices.
4700 Avenue U, Building 216
Galveston, TX 77551
Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) members of this working group will be meeting to review and discuss the sanctuary's proposal for boundary expansion as detailed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Public comment will be accepted from 5:10-5:40 p.m. For more information contact Leslie.Clift@noaa.gov.
A public meeting of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will take place May 9, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the sanctuary offices.
4700 Avenue U, Building 216
Galveston, TX 77551
This meeting is open to the public. Public comments will be accepted beginning at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Leslie.Clift@noaa.gov.
Building on more than 30 years of studies and numerous reports released in the last decade calling for additional protections, NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is proposing to expand its boundaries to protect areas of national significance off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. This map shows the preferred alternative for expansion as explained in our Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Learn More...
