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Flower Garden Bank Monitoring Inventory
The monitoring projects in the following inventory take place in or around the Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Projects are conducted by either Sanctuary staff or by our partners. Summary information is presented for each. Use the "Click to for More Details" option to expand the information displayed.

For more information about the monitoring activities at Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary, please click here, and review the Sanctuary Condition Report.

Contact the research coordinator at the Sanctuary for additional information.


East and West Flower Garden Bank Long Term Monitoring
Lead Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Provide a baseline of information on the status of the coral reef caps of the East and West Flower Garden Banks.

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Method Repetitive photo stations, water quality, random video transects, fish counts, Diadema and lobster counts, sclerochronology, and repetitive video

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1989 - present Annual

Links http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/science/eastwestmonitor
http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/document_library/
Partners DOI Minerals Management Service, BOEM
Keyword(s) coral, reef fish, invertebrates

Stetson Bank Long Term Monitoring
Lead Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Provide a baseline of information on the status of Stetson Bank.

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Method Repetitive photo stations, water quality, video transects, fish counts, Diadema and lobster counts.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1993 - present Annual

Links http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/science/stetsonmonitor
Partners Gulf Reef Environmental Action Team
Keyword(s) fish, lobster, Diadema

Invasive Species
Lead Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Monitor resources for presence of invasive species and remove when feasible.

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Method Information Not Available

Status Duration Frequency
Information Not Available Information Not Available Information Not Available

Links http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/education/invasivespecies.html
Partners Information Not Available
Keyword(s) Information Not Available oxygen

Baseline Research Area Assessment
Lead NCCOS, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Assess benthic and fish populations in preparation for a proposed research area.

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Method SCUBA, technical diver, and Remotely Operated Vehicle surveys are used to assess populations.

Status Duration Frequency
Active 2010 - present Annual or semiannual

Links Information Not Available
Partners National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science
Keyword(s) fish, invertebrates, fishing pressure

Texas Automated Buoys Systems (TABS)
Lead Geochemical and Environmental Research Group of Texas A&M University
Objective Provide real-time observations of surface currents and water temperature at selected locations along the Texas coast.

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Method Buoy collection of surface currents and water temperatures. Buoys N and V are within sanctuary boundaries

Status Duration Frequency
Active 1995 - present Every 30 minutes

Links http://tabs.gerg.tamu.edu/Tglo/
Partners Texas General Land Office Oil Spill Prevention & Response Program
Keyword(s) water temperature, surface currents

Manta Ray Assessment
Lead Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Manta ray census and individual identification.

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Method Sanctuary staff and volunteers have been collecting photos and videos of mantas sighted in the sanctuary over many years. Each manta ray possesses a unique set of markings and color patterns on its underbelly, which allow for identification of individual rays.

Status Duration Frequency
Active Ongoing Opportunistic

Links http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/science/mantacatalog.html
Partners Wildlife Conservation Society
Keyword(s) manta ray, individual markings, photo identification

Habitat Characterization
Lead Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Objective Fish and benthic habitat characterization of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and NWGOM.

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Method Diver surveys, photo and video documentation are used to characterize the habitat.

Status Duration Frequency
Inactive, pending funding 2006 - 2008 Annual

Links http://flowergarden.noaa.gov/science/habitat
Partners NOAA Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment
Keyword(s) fish, invertebrates

Fish Surveys
Lead Reef Environmental Education Foundation
Objective Assessment of fish populations in and around the sanctuary.

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Method Diver surveys by Reef Environmental Education Foundation volunteers.

Status Duration Frequency
Inactive, pending funding 2006 - 2008 Annual

Links www.REEF.org
Partners Reef Environmental Education Foundation
Keyword(s) fish, population

Printable Site Inventory

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