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NOAA's Flower Garden Banks Natl Marine Sanctuary @FGBNMS

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, in the Gulf, is home to thriving coral reefs off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana.

Joined November 2012
  • Tweets 3,970
  • Following 190
  • Followers 3,705
3,315 Photos and videos
#GreatBarracuda are drawn to the shade and structure of moored vessels, schooling loosely in the water column to stay cool and keep an eye out for easy prey. Despite their intimidating reputation, barracuda sightings in @FGBNMS are a highlight.
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Sanctuary Saturday at the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid this Saturday! Join us to learn more about corals in the Gulf and the challenges they face throughout the world. 🐟 Sanctuary Saturday—Corals of the Gulf 📆 June 13, 2026, at 1 p.m. 📍 @MoodyGardens Aquarium Pyramid
Mounds of coral with silver fish swimming above

ALT Mounds of coral with silver fish swimming above

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You’re invited to Get Into Your Sanctuary! Join us this summer across the National Marine Sanctuary System and submit your photos to the annual Photo Contest! Visit sanctuaries.noaa.gov/photo-c… and follow @noaasanctuaries to learn more! #ILoveMySanctuary
Manta ray from above with two remoras on either side of its body.

ALT Manta ray from above with two remoras on either side of its body.

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💙 Time to celebrate this #WorldOceanDay! From the beauty of offshore reefs like those found in @FGBNMS to the coastal communities that see the waves daily, the ocean is our happy place. How are you celebrating the ocean today?
Tropical fish and a spiny lobster hiding out in crevices between corals as other fish school in the background

ALT Tropical fish and a spiny lobster hiding out in crevices between corals as other fish school in the background
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NOAA's Flower Garden Banks Natl Marine Sanctuary retweeted
Sanctuaries (NOAA)@sanctuaries
Jun 8
Today is #WorldOceanDay 🌎🌊 The National Marine Sanctuary System protects some of the most iconic underwater places throughout the U.S., but we can't do it without you. No matter where you are, the ocean and Great Lakes are in your hands. Get into your Sanctuary this summer!🤿
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Thanks for following this mission aboard the #NOAAShipNANCYFOSTER! This mission was a partnership between @FGBNMS & #BOEM to recharacterize biological communities in areas of interest. The mission used #ROV operations to explore the seafloor and habitats of concern in @FGBNMS.
White board with text written in a red marker.

ALT White board with text written in a red marker.

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Topside Highlights on #NOAAShipNancyFoster Although underwater #ROV exploration was the focus of our trip, we made fun observations above water, including a masked booby, a group of dolphins, a pelican on the back deck, a brown booby, and a meet-up with the #NOAAShipOREGONII.
A brown and white seabird flying overhead.

ALT A brown and white seabird flying overhead.

Top view of four dolphins coming out of the water with several more visible underwater nearby.

ALT Top view of four dolphins coming out of the water with several more visible underwater nearby.

A brown pelican standing upright near machinery on the deck of a ship.

ALT A brown pelican standing upright near machinery on the deck of a ship.

A NOAA ship passing by, right to left, in the distance.

ALT A NOAA ship passing by, right to left, in the distance.
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Exploration Highlights Day 5 #28FathomBank & #RankinBank 28 Fathom had 10 lionfish in one spot! Rankin had black corals, an anemone, and deepwater fish. Day 6 #MacNeilBank Several sharks appeared during #ROV dives. On the bottom, we saw crinoids and black corals.
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Exploration Highlights Day 3 #SonnierBank Explored shallow areas that look like Stetson Bank. We encountered the only stingray of the trip. Day 4 #BrightBank & #28FathomBank Spotted a star coral and saucer corals at Bright. 28 Fathom treated us to black coral and a batfish.
A gray fish swimming above an algae and sponge filled reef with a wiry black coral framing the picture in the foreground.

ALT A gray fish swimming above an algae and sponge filled reef with a wiry black coral framing the picture in the foreground.

A stingray resting on the bottom between rocky sections of reef.

ALT A stingray resting on the bottom between rocky sections of reef.

A small, round coral sitting in the midst of several kinds of green algae on a reef.

ALT A small, round coral sitting in the midst of several kinds of green algae on a reef.

An arrow-shaped fish perched on a sandy sea floor.

ALT An arrow-shaped fish perched on a sandy sea floor.
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Day 2 #ParkerBank Better visibility and structure allowed us to see lots of fish. #AlgalNodules covered most of the habitat. We encountered a large #BasketStar, all curled up alongside a #sponge, a #MarbledGrouper, and lots of other fish. A #jawfish resting in its burrow. (2/2)
What looks like a ball of black strings clings to the side of a tube sponge colony in a field of rocky rubble.

ALT What looks like a ball of black strings clings to the side of a tube sponge colony in a field of rocky rubble.

A variety of large and small colorful fish hover in and around a cluster of rocks on a sandy bottom.

ALT A variety of large and small colorful fish hover in and around a cluster of rocks on a sandy bottom.

A small white fish with large black eyes peeks out from a hole in between rocky rubble on the bottom.

ALT A small white fish with large black eyes peeks out from a hole in between rocky rubble on the bottom.
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Exploration Highlights Day 1 #AlderdiceBank Unfortunately, visibility was very low for most of our #ROV transects (specific paths of exploration) over a soft mud bottom. A few shallower transects showed more detail. #ScampGrouper and #BlackCorals were everywhere. (1/2)
A broom-like black coral sits in the foreground of a colorful deep reef as lots of small fish swim in the background.

ALT A broom-like black coral sits in the foreground of a colorful deep reef as lots of small fish swim in the background.

Large fish swims past deep reef covered in colorful sponges and algae.

ALT Large fish swims past deep reef covered in colorful sponges and algae.

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Bongos aren't just drums! A bongo net consists of two side-by-side cone-shaped nets used to collect #plankton samples. Collection containers at the bottom of the nets capture what is funneled down to them. Can you see why this is called a #BongoNet?
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ROVing the Sanctuary Launching a #ROV is a group effort. The robot goes into the water with a good length of umbilical line, and a heavy downweight goes in and stays 50 ft above the bottom to absorb ship movement. An operator drives the ROV to explore using HD video and cameras.
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Welcome Aboard! Last week, sanctuary staff, volunteers, and collaborators boarded #NOAAShipNANCYFOSTER for a research trip in the Gulf. On the way to #AlderdiceBank, they participated in safety drills & reviewed skills needed for the long survey days to come.
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NOAA's Flower Garden Banks Natl Marine Sanctuary retweeted
NOAA Education@NOAAeducation
May 20
Congratulations to the 2026 Hollings scholars! The 128 selected applicants come from 95 different campuses in 40 U.S. states, Guam & Washington, D.C. We can’t wait to see the valuable contributions they’ll make to @NOAA during their internship experience! noaa.gov/office-education/ho…
A group photo of approximately 150 people young adults in business casual clothing. The group is posing outside in front a building with a NOAA logo on the door.

ALT A group photo of approximately 150 people young adults in business casual clothing. The group is posing outside in front a building with a NOAA logo on the door.
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Our Get Into Your Sanctuary Open House on Saturday was a success! Visitors learned about underwater robots, invasive lionfish, coral reefs, reef monitoring, mooring buoys, mesophotic coral ecosystems, manta rays, and more. A big thank you goes out to our many volunteers, as well.
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📌Reminder: There will be two in-person opportunities for public comment tomorrow. May 19, 2026 2 - 4 P.M. and 6 - 8 P.M. CT Location: Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 4700 Avenue U, Building 216, Galveston, Texas 77551 flowergarden.noaa.gov/manage…

Sanctuaries (NOAA)@sanctuaries
Apr 6
Today, we are initiating a public process for reviewing the management plan of @FGBNMS. 👉 NOAA is asking for comments through May 21, 2026, on the scope of the management plan review. 📝 🔗 To learn more, visit: flowergarden.noaa.gov/manage… #PublicComment
A colorful cluster of stony corals in dark water

ALT A colorful cluster of stony corals in dark water
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To-do list: ✅ Set up all the stations for Saturday's Get Into Your Sanctuary Day Tomorrow's to-do list: 🔲 Have a great time at Get Into Your Sanctuary Day with @FGBNMS! We can't wait to share YOUR national marine sanctuary in the Gulf with you! flowergarden.noaa.gov/educat…
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2 days until Get Into Your Sanctuary Day at @FGBNMS! 🪸 Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities Learn about coral propagation and outplanting, identify creatures that live in the deep parts of the Gulf, and explore more with the Dive Deeper program. flowergarden.noaa.gov/educat…
Three people look at a TV screen with photos of underwater creatures and coral on it.

ALT Three people look at a TV screen with photos of underwater creatures and coral on it.

A kid in a jean jacket sits on the floor. On the floor is a mat with colorful fish and corals. The kid is completing a scavenger hunt to identify the corals and fish on the mat.

ALT A kid in a jean jacket sits on the floor. On the floor is a mat with colorful fish and corals. The kid is completing a scavenger hunt to identify the corals and fish on the mat.

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3 days until Get Into Your Sanctuary Day at @FGBNMS! 📷🐠 Photobooth Station Strike a pose and take a photo with your "school"! 🔗 flowergarden.noaa.gov/educat…
A group of seven poses for a photo in front of a wall with a large photo of coral and fish on it. Another person takes their photo.

ALT A group of seven poses for a photo in front of a wall with a large photo of coral and fish on it. Another person takes their photo.
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