Welcome to the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Christmas tree worms attached to coral colony. The two feather-like appendages (radioles) on each worm resemble Christmas trees as they protrude from their protective tube.

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!

Sanctuary Calendar Of Events

Online Manta Catalog

Since 1982 FGBNMS staff have been collecting photos of manta rays in the sanctuary in an effort to try and get a handle on the overall manta ray population. These images are now available online to help divers help us continue to add to this catalog and our understanding of these magnificent animals.

Learn more...

NEW Stetson Monitoring Activity

The newly posted Stetson Monitoring Activity allows teachers to get students involved in evaluating changes over time at Stetson Bank. A series of actual research photos make this a real-life experience.

Download the activity

View and download the monitoring photos

Be sure to check out all of the other educational activities available for download, too!

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

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.