NOAA Triples Gulf of Mexico Marine Sanctuary Area
GALVESTON, Texas, January 22, 2021 (ENS) – One of the last acts of the outgoing Trump administration was taken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, which has tripled the area protected by the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.
On January 19, NOAA issued the Final Rule for expansion of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. This action protects 14 additional reefs and banks, slightly adjusts the boundaries of the sanctuary’s original three banks, and expands the sanctuary from 56 square miles to a total of 160 square miles.
Gray snapper swim past a pinnacle covered in fire coral at Sonnier Bank, a popular area for fishing and shallow enough for scuba diving in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (Photo courtesy NOAA)