Science Reports & Documents | Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

This page contains links to sanctuary reports that summarize our scientific research and monitoring efforts.

A more comprehensive listing of scientific publications and articles associated with sanctuary research, is available on our Research Publications page.

Annual Research Reports

The purpose of these reports is to document the activities of the Flower Garden Banks Research Team during each fiscal year (ending on September 30th of that year).

Purple encrusted algae across a large section of reef

2018 Research Report

(6MB pdf)

2017 Research Report (3MB pdf)

2016 Research Report (4MB pdf)

2015 Research Report (3MB pdf)

2014 Research Report (780kb pdf)

2013 Research Report (10MB pdf)

2012 Research Report (4MB pdf)

2011 Research Report (80kb pdf)

2010 Research Report (70kb pdf)

2009 Research Report (1MB pdf)

2008 Research Report (440kb pdf)

2007 Research Report (340kb pdf)

2006 Research Report (860kb pdf)

2005 Research Report (330kb pdf)

2004 Research Report (140kb pdf)

2003 Research Report (320kb pdf)

2002 Research Report (310kb pdf)

Impact Reports

These reports provide a summary of pressures on sanctuary resources and the potential impacts of those pressures.

Document title overlayed on an image of coral and colorful fishes

FGBNMS Climate Change Impacts Profile

(3MB pdf)

2008 Condition Report (2MB pdf)
- A summary of marine resources in the sanctuary, pressures on those resources, current condition and trends, and management responses to the pressures that threaten the integrity of the marine environment. Additional information available on the 2008 Condition Report web page.

Biological Considerations of the Effects of Spearfishing (210kb pdf)
- A summary of research regarding the impacts of spearfishing on biological communities.

Marine Debris Sightings in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico (120kb pdf)
- Marine debris sightings data extracted from Deep Fish Habitat (DFH) ROV video transect transcripts, 2002-2015.

Long-Term Monitoring Reports: East and West Flower Garden Banks

These reports summarize fish and benthic community observations and water quality data collected from East Flower Garden Bank and West Flower Garden Bank long-term monitoring study sites. The annual long-term monitoring program began in 1989 and is funded by NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, with support from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Long-term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2018 Annual Report

(ONMS-20-09)

Grouper and a few small fish in blue water as backdrop for words - Coral reef condition: Good. A status report for the Flower Garden Banks

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program FGBNMS 2020 Status Report - part of a series of reports on the status and trends of U.S. coral reefs

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2017 Annual Report (ONMS-18-02)

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2016 Annual Report (ONMS-17-09)

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2015 Annual Report (ONMS-16-02)

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2014 Annual Report (280kb pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2013 Annual Report (2MB pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 2011-2012. Volume 1: Technical Report (9MB pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring at East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 2011-2012. Volume 2: Appendixes (10MB pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring Reports: Stetson Bank

Stetson Bank is an uplifted claystone/siltstone feature located within Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, which supports a diverse benthic community of sponges and coral. Annual monitoring of the bank crest has been conducted since 1993. Surveys of the mesophotic zone surrounding the bank crest were added in 2015.

Fisheye view of fish swarming around a reef crest at Stetson Bank

Stetson Bank Long-Term Monitoring: 1993-2015

(ONMS-20-06)

Stetson Bank Long-Term Monitoring: 2018 Annual Report (ONMS-19-05)

Stetson Bank Long-Term Monitoring: 2017 Annual Report (ONMS-19-03)

Stetson Bank Long-Term Monitoring: 2016 Annual Report (ONMS-19-02)

Stetson Bank Long-Term Monitoring: 2015 Annual Report (ONMS 17-06)

Monitoring Report: High Island A-389-A Platform

Oil and gas platform High Island A-389-A is located within Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, near East Flower Garden Bank. In July 2018, the top 20 meters of the decommissioned structure was removed, and the rest was left standing in place as an artificial reef. This provided a unique opportunity to document changes in the biological community associated with the structure.

Diver conducting a fish survey within the legs of an oil and gas platform

Baseline Ecological Assessment of Artificial Reef, High Island A-389-A: Pre- and Post-partial Structure Removal

(ONMS-20-11)

BOEM Reports

These documents are published by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), formerly known as the Minerals Management Service (MMS). For sanctuary-related documents prior to 2001, please visit the BOEM website.

Diver following a compass heading while laying a transect on the reef

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 2009–2010; Volume 1: Technical Report

(5MB pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, 2009–2010; Volume2: Appendices (10MB pdf)

Corals on Oil and Gas Platforms Near the Flower Garden Banks: Population Characteristics, Recruitment, and Genetic Affinity (4MB pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2004-2008, Volume I: Technical Report (21MB pdf)

Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks: 2004-2008, Volume II: Appendices (47MB pdf)

Post-Hurricane Assessment of Sensitive Habitats of the Flower Garden Banks Vicinity (10MB pdf)

Long Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks 2004-2005 - Interim Report Vol. I: Technical Report (4MB pdf)

Long Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks 2004-2005 - Interim Report Vol. II: Appendices (6MB pdf)

Post Hurricane Assessment at the East Flower Garden Bank Long Term Monitoring site: November 2005 (6MB pdf)

Long Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks 2002-2003 (8MB pdf)

Effect of Depth, Location, and Habitat Type, on Relative Abundance and Species Composition of Fishes Associated with Petroleum Platforms and Sonnier Bank in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (4MB pdf)

Long Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks 2000-2001 (3MB)

Long Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks 1998-1999 (13MB pdf)

Posters

Top of a scientific poster about ciguatera fish poisoning

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

- poster presented by Ryan Eckert at GCFI 2013 (7MB pdf)

Deepwater Antipatharians Poster, High Resolution (43MB pdf)

Deepwater Antipatharians Poster, Low Resolution (560kb pdf)

Deepwater Fishes Poster, High Resolution (41MB pdf)

Deepwater Fishes Poster, Low Resolution (380kb pdf)

Deepwater Invertebrates Poster, High Resolution (32MB pdf)

Deepwater Invertebrates Poster, Low Resolution (510kb pdf)

Deepwater Octocorals Poster, High Resolution (29MB pdf)

Deepwater Octocorals Poster, Low Resolution (560kb pdf)

Deepwater Sponges Poster, High Resolution (21MB pdf)

Deepwater Sponges Poster, Low Resolution (8MB pdf)

Manta Catalog Poster, High Resolution (3MB pdf)

Manta Catalog Poster, Low Resolution (2MB pdf)

Benthic Community Composition Associated with a Petroleum Platform, High Island A-389-A, Located within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (5MB pdf) - poster presented by John Embesi at GCFI 2013

Deep Sea Marine Life of the Monterrey Shipwrecks (3MB pdf) - poster created by Bill Kiene following 2013 exploration of shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico

Fish Communities Associated with Benthic Biological Zones at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and other Banks in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico (3MB pdf) - poster presented by Marissa Nuttall at GCFI 2013

Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) Invade the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Northwest Gulf of Mexico (3MB pdf) - poster presented by Michelle Johnston at GCFI 2013

Investigation of a Northern Gulf of Mexico brain coral, Diploria strigosa, for climate reconstructions (5MB pdf) - poster by Robin Cobb, LSU