EXPEDITIONS
The sanctuary sponsors, coordinates and/or participates in a variety of expeditions each year. Some expeditions are conducted aboard NOAA Research Vessels, some aboard vessels chartered by the sanctuary and still others aboard vessels made available courtesy of sanctuary partners. In addition to research conducted within sanctuary boundaries, the team also explores and investigates outside the sanctuary.
Recent Expeditions:
September 8-15, 2007 Nancy Foster Cruise
- You can learn more about this cruise by visiting the National Marine Sanctuaries expedition web page for In Search of the Bottom Dwellers.
September 3-7, 2007 Coral Spawning Cruise
August 6-8, 2007 Summer Research Cruise/Early Spawning Cruise
July 22-25, 2007 Stetson Monitoring Cruise
March 4-9, 2007 Winter Research Cruise and Secrets of the Gulf Expedition.
Remember that factors such as weather and vessel availability change rapidly, so trips are frequently rescheduled. If you are interested in conducting research in the sanctuary, please contact emma.hickerson@noaa.gov for more information.
EXPEDITIONS OUTSIDE THE SANCTUARY
A question frequently asked by sanctuary constituents is "Why does the sanctuary conduct research outside the sanctuary?" There are a couple of reasons:
- The Flower Garden and Stetson Banks do not exist in a vacuum. They are part of the
Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. Sanctuary resources cannot be protected if we do not know
what is happening outside the boundaries that may affect the resources within the
boundaries. An excellent example of this is the recent realization that the sea floor
between the many topographic features scattered across the continental shelf is far
from the flat, featureless expansion it was once thought to be. Rather, the banks are
connected by low-relief outcroppings, potentially providing a kind of "fish highway"
where animals can move between banks and still have a little protection and food source
for the journey. If the sanctuary team had restricted its explorations, this discovery
would have taken longer.
- The world of knowledge and research techniques is constantly expanding. Like any other professionals, researchers must remain sharp and current on their knowledge and skills so that the sanctuary can benefit from the latest innovations. Participating in non-sanctuary research projects helps 'sharpen the saw' by allowing exchanges with researchers from different regions and disciplines.
