Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

A marine sanctuary is a general type of marine protected area (MPA).
An MPA is a
section of the oceanwhere a government has placed limits on human activity. Different
types of MPAs allow different types of activities, such as scientific research, recreation,
or commercial fishing.
It is important to note that MPAs and marine sanctuaries have different names in
different countries. The restrictions on extractive activities are dictated by the marine
protection legislation in those countries. For example, a marine sanctuary in the United
States often allows fishing, but in Ecuador it means an area without fishing.
Sanctuary waters may provide a secure habitat for endangered species. Sanctuaries
may also protect shipwrecks and historic artifacts. They serve as outdoor classrooms for
schoolchildren and laboratories for researchers who want to better understand and
protect the ocean environment. Sanctuaries also protect economically important
fisheries.
Marine sanctuaries often have different zones, which allow different activities.
A permit system usually regulates these activities, such as fishing or recreational water
sports. Only a certain number of permits are issued every year. The permits allow the
MPA to prevent overfishing or pollution due to boats or other personal watercraft.
A marine sanctuarys staff also educates the publicabout responsible behavior. This
allows the public to enjoy marine sanctuaries for recreation, tourism, and fishing in
a sustainable manner.
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is one of 14 underwater areas

protected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The
sanctuary protects three separate sand banks that are located 112 to 184 kilometers (70
to 115 miles) off the coasts of the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana. These banks are
actually underwater mountains called salt domes.
Salt domes formed about 190 million years ago, when the Gulf of Mexico was a
shallow sea. The hot, dry climate caused the seawater to evaporate quickly, leaving a
thick layer of salt on the seafloor. Eventually, the Gulf of Mexico deepened and rivers,
such as the Mississippi, began to flow into it. Mud, sand, and siltwere steadily deposited
over the salt layers. The pressure from these denser sediments caused the salt layer to
push upward. Some salt layers broke through the sediments completely, while others
forced the seafloor to bulge upward in mountainous domes. Salt domes occur across
the entire northwestern Gulf of Mexico.
Flower Garden Banks received its MPA status for the abundance of marine life. The
domes are dotted by coral reefs, which provide a habitat for hundreds of fish, sponges,
and invertebrates such as shrimp. The endangered loggerhead sea turtle lives in Flower
Garden Banks.
Like most marine sanctuaries, Flower Garden Banks provides different zones for human
activities. The MPA has ongoing research projects, so biologists and other scientists
can monitor marine life in the area. The brightly colored coral reef ecosystems are a
popular site for snorkelers and scuba divers. Commercial fishing is not allowed in the
sanctuary, but sport fishingusing traditional hook-and-line gear is permitted. By not
allowing fishing nets, the sanctuary protects against the accidental bycatch of
loggerhead sea turtles.
Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Animals
The Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals is a vast marine protected
area in the Mediterranean Sea. The Pelagos sanctuary reaches France, Monaco, Italy,
the French island of Corsica, and the Italian island of Sardinia.
The sanctuary is a feeding area and breeding groundfor a variety of marine mammals
called cetaceans. Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are cetaceans. Pelagos sanctuary is
home to fin whales, sperm whales, Cuviers beaked whales, long-finned pilot whales,
Rissos dolphins, common bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, and short-beaked
common dolphins.
The Pelagos sanctuary includes busy ports such as Nice, France; Monte Carlo,
Monaco; and Genoa, Italy. The human activity surrounding these ports puts pressure on
the marine environment. Pollution linked to cruise ships, fishing vessels, and offshore
motorboat racing threatens the habitats and organisms in the sanctuary. This pollution
increases during the summer, as tourists migrate to the sanctuarys coast, known as
the Riviera.
Restrictions aim to regulate and lessen the impact of these human activities in the
sanctuary. The governments of France, Monaco, and Italy have agreed to begin phasing
out the release of toxic pollutants in the sanctuary. They also monitor pollution levels
and fine individuals or businesses that illegally dump in sanctuary waters.
Fishing is allowed in Pelagos sanctuary. However, permits are required for both
commercial and sport fishing. There are also limits on how much fish can be caught and
what methods can be used. Limitations are designed to protect the sanctuarys cetacean
population. Fishing limits prevent a severe reduction in fish eaten by cetaceans. Fishing
methods must reduce the risk that marine mammals (mostly cetaceans and sea turtles)
are accidentally caught instead of fish.
By protecting the Pelagos sanctuary from pollution and overfishing, the governments of
the Riviera hope to preserve the areas environmental and economic importance.

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

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A marine sanctuary is a general type of marine protected area (MPA).

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is one of 14 underwater areas

Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Animals

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