Tag: Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

You’re Invited to “Garden in the Gulf” Watch Party

April 16, 2025 /

Hosted by KPRC 2 Chief Meteorologist Anthony Yanez

Garden in the Gulf: A Reef Rescue Mission airing on KPRC 2

Moody Gardens is hosting a public watch party for the premiere of “Garden in the Gulf: A Reef Rescue Mission” airing on KPRC 2. This one-hour TV special highlights vital coral reef conservation efforts by the Moody Gardens Dive Team, in collaboration with NOAA, to help preserve the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf. 

Viewers will gain insight into the progress being made to protect these reefs, uncover the environmental stories hidden within coral cores, and explore the challenges posed by invasive species like lionfish. These ongoing conservation efforts could help rehabilitate living coral reefs around the world, which continue to suffer from the impacts of a growing global population and a changing climate.

Special guests include KPRC 2 Chief Meteorologist Anthony Yanez and Moody Gardens Director of Marine Operations Jake Emmert, who will be in attendance to share more about the making of the special with guests and the important work being done to preserve our Gulf ecosystems.

Though not required, it is recommended to register for this free event online at: www.moodygardens.com/watchparty

A diver from NOAA looks on as a large manta ray swims by during a research expedition at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary located in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 2024, KPRC 2 and Anthony Yanez filmed a three part series called “Saving the Garden in the Gulf of Mexico.” The live presentation being held at the MG3D Theater will be the conclusion to the diving series that took part last year. You can find all three segments below:

Saving the Garden in the Gulf of Mexico – Part 1
Saving the Garden in the Gulf of Mexico – Part II
Saving the Garden in the Gulf – Part III

Sanctuary Saturdays at Moody Gardens

March 6, 2025 /

Featuring staff from the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Sanctuary Saturdays featuring staff from the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
A retractable banner displays flora and fauna from the Flower Garden Banks and a FGBNMS staff member chats with a group of people at a booth display instead the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid. Photos by Jennifer Lamm.

Once a month, Moody Gardens hosts Sanctuary Saturdays, an event that brings experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the public. Staff from the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary share insights on their work within the reef, as well as efforts in conservation and environmentalism.

This Saturday, March 8, the public is welcome to join us at the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid. Personnel from the FGBNMS will be discussing the corals that live off the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana as well as leading a hands-on activity. The program will be located on the lower level of the aquarium in front of the Coral Rescue Lab, where corals from the FGBNMS are housed.

Moody Gardens and NOAA staff on the surface waters above the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Galveston.
Staff from Moody Gardens and NOAA on the surface above the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
Breathing gear for underwater operations. Photo by Kerry Toorcana
Breathing gear display for underwater operations as part of a dive presentation at Moody Gardens. Photo by Kerry M. Toorcana

The program was first started in October of 2024, which has highlighted topics such as sanctuary corals, invasive lionfish, dive gear, mooring buoys, and have even celebrated the sanctuary’s 33rd birthday. Interactive activities have given visitors the opportunity to learn more about the sanctuary in a way that enhances their overall visit.

You can follow the activities at the Flower Garden Banks via social media on Facebook @FGBNMS or Instagram @flowergardnbanksnms.

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