Flower Gardens Banks National Marine Sanctuary

This dive site is located 70 to 120 nautical miles offshore of Galveston, in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) was established in 1992 and expanded further in 1996 and 2021, now encompassing 17 banks and a total area of 160 square miles of protected waters. The unique formation of these banks is attributed to salt domes rising from the seafloor. The sanctuary boasts an incredible diversity of marine life, including nearly three hundred species of fish and over twenty species of coral. A wide variety of crustaceans, sponges, and plants also thrive within its boundaries. It serves as a vital habitat for many protected and/or threatened animals such as marine mammals, sharks, rays, and sea turtles. Notably, the Golden Smooth Trunkfish is found exclusively in this sanctuary and parts of Honduras. The main diving areas include East Bank, West Bank, and Stetson Bank.