A spiny lobster leads the way into Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
Every year NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries runs a Get into Your Sanctuary campaign to raise awareness about the value of our national marine sanctuaries as iconic destinations for responsible recreation.
Here's how you can Get Into Your Sanctuary with us...
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn about different recreational activities you can enjoy to immerse yourself in the sanctuary.
Tell us about your favorite activities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary on social media using #GetIntoYourSanctuary and #RecreateResponsibly.
Show off your own adventures in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary by entering the Earth is Blue photo contest that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year.
This year we're hosting a sanctuary open house where the public can get to “NOAA” us and discover more about their national marine sanctuary off the Texas and Louisiana coastline.
Our open house will be a day of ocean, science, and corals, featuring marine scientists, underwater technology, lionfish demonstrations, hands-on activities, and more! The event is FREE and open to the public. Questions? Email flowergarden@noaa.gov.
Location: Sanctuary Headquarters, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551
Past GIYS Events
Here are a few highlights from past GIYS events:
Fishing Clinic
June 9, 2024
In 2024 we teamed up with National Park Trust to host a fishing clinic for more than 50 active duty military, veterans, and family members. The goal was to introduce families to fishing and build awareness of fishing as a sustainable recreational activity. Unfortunately, it wasn't feasible to take them all the way to the sanctuary, but FGBNMS staff taught them about the sanctuary, its marine life, and how they can do their part in protecting our natural resources. Two officers from NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement also participated, helping participants bait hooks and offering tips on how to safely and legally catch fish.
Each participant went home with a new fishing pole and tackle to encourage continued recreational fishing. They also received reusable shopping bags containing sanctuary posters, stickers, and information.
Exploring and Restoring Deep Gulf Corals
August 5, 2023
The sanctuary hosted an event at Lasker Community Pool in Galveston, where visitors could discover the wonders of the Gulf. Opportunities were available to learn about corals and fish living in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, swim over submerged canvas images of sanctuary reefs, discover techniques used to explore and restore deepwater corals, and operate a small Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
Event Partners included NOAA's Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities Portfolio (part of the Deepwater Horizon Open Ocean Restoration effort), the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, Artist Boat, Urban Strategies, Inc., and City of Galveston (Lasker Community Pool).
Cheers to 30 Years
June 4 and July 9, 2022
The sanctuary hosted two Cheers to 30 Years events in celebration of the its 30th Anniversary. Both events were held at local beer gardens, where guests were able to sample a sanctuary-themed beer (UnBeREEFable) created by Bakfish Brewing Company. The sanctuary booth at each event featured new games and giveaways for all participants.
Event Partners included Bakfish Brewing Company and Penny's Beer Garden.
Fish ID Fun
June 29, July 20, July 26, 2022
The sanctuary also offered three separate Fish ID classes, two in-person and one virtual, to help divers better enjoy their diving experiences at the Flower Garden Banks and beyond. Participants learned how to identify different fish families and species common to the sanctuary, played a few rounds of FISH-O, explored fish survey techniques to use on any dive, and received a free REEF Survey Project Starter Kit.
Event Partners included Bakfish Brewing Company and Penny's Beer Garden.
Photo Safari Scavenger Hunt
June 21-July 26, 2021
Over a period of five weeks we shared ten different clues and invited people to find images from our website that best represented each one. A final bonus clue invited them to find a specific post on our social media. After all submissions were received, we selected our favorites and identified our winners.
The clues we posted were Something Spotted, Something Harmful, Something Squishy, Something Protective, Something Curly, Something Old, Something Venomous or Poisonous, Something Mesophotic, Something Funny, and Something Research-related. The Bonus Clue was Know Before You Go.
The resulting photos were then used to create an online presentation called Photo Safari Stories on August 5, 2021. We talked about the animals, habitats, and situations that the photos brought to mind, including some funny stories and encounters we've had during the course of our work. A recording of this webinar is available on our Educational Videos page.
