Go on an adventure.
Connect with the outdoors.
Spend time with loved ones.
Embrace the countryโs natural beauty.
Take stunning photos and submit them in the Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest.
Visit https://t.co/5YMUXWzgNy Follow @sanctuaries to learn more!
๐ท@ThunderBayNMS
Marbled grouper are considered rare throughout much of their range.
Marbled grouper at @FGBNMS: "That's news to us."
Researchers observe marbled grouper during #ROV surveys in the sanctuary, making this a reliable place to encounter this species.
Bouys at Bright and Geyer Banks are back!
Buoys at these locations were added in 2024 to expand access off the Louisiana coast but had gone missing. Sanctuary staff were able to replace them recently.
#MooringBuoy locations: https://t.co/3dJVfPLIgD
https://t.co/826Rig8O24.
For this yearโs Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest, we are excited to have all new submission categories: Life in Motion, Sanctuaries and You, The Waterโs Edge, & Ripples from the Past.
Visit https://t.co/OC78wneqnK to learn more!
๐ท@MBNMS
๐ท@FloridaKeysNMS
๐ท@NOAA_CINMS
June is the perfect month to check out zoos and aquariums that feature @FGBNMS exhibits.
๐ Texas State Aquarium
๐ Cameron Park Zoo
๐ Moody Gardens
๐ชธ San Antonio Zoo Brewer Ocean Conservation Lab
๐ฆ Tennessee Aquarium
https://t.co/hyYuXued0f
#NationalZooAndAquariumMonth
Scientists are studying how and when fish use the banks and reefs of @FGBNMS, and have developed a video that describes how they are using acoustic technology to track fish movements and study fish behavior. Learn more: https://t.co/3aPjHIWG35
With special gas mixtures, closed-circuit rebreathers, extended decompression, and a hyperbaric chamber, researchers from FAU Harbor Branch, San Diego State University, and @FGBNMS, with the NOAA Dive Center, recently completed a technical diving mission to study deep reefs.
#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.
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.
๐ Sanctuary SaturdayโCorals of the Gulf
๐ June 13, 2026, at 1 p.m.
๐ @MoodyGardens Aquarium Pyramid
Youโre 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 https://t.co/5YMUXWzgNy and follow @noaasanctuaries to learn more!
#ILoveMySanctuary
๐ 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?
Today is #WorldOceanDay ๐๐ 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!๐คฟ
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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?
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.