CORAL REEFS

The northwestern region of the Gulf of Mexico near the coast of Texas is home to several dozen coral reefs supporting a diverse assortment of marine life amid a coast dotted with oil platforms. Divers exploring the underwater “rain forests” of Texas should possess intermediate to advanced skills. The best months to view Texas coral reefs are February to October; expect unpredictable weather and strong currents. East Flower Garden Bank Discovered in the late 1800s, the National Marine Sanctuary Flower Garden Banks received its name from the colorful collection of reefs and sea life viewed from fishing boats. Flower Garden Banks consists of three sections: East, West and Stetson. About 100 miles from Galveston, Texas, East Flower Garden Bank sits atop a salt dome and offers an array of 23 kinds of coral, from brain coral to boulder star coral. Over 280 fish species thrive in the reef, including snapper, hogfish, butterflyfish, groupers, wrasse, sharp nose puffers and queen angelfish. According to Jesse Cancelmo, author of “Texas Coral Reefs,” a mass spawning of coral occurs every year in August, whale sharks visit July to October and winter brings schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks and spotted eagle rays to the area. West Flower Garden Bank Located 12 nautical miles west of the East Flower Garden rests the West Flower Garden Bank, a 100-acre, footprint-shaped coral reef. Due to their close proximity, the East and West Flower Garden banks share similar sea life and coral diversity, including over 600 species of mollusks, 27 different sponges, 20 types of sharks and rays, four varieties of moray eels, and barracudas and sea turtles. The West Flower Garden bank is geologically older than the East Flower Garden bank. Stetson Bank Named after oceanographer Henry C. Stetson, Stetson Bank covers an area of almost one square mile and is about 75 miles southeast of Freeport, Texas. Nine species of coral reside here; the most prevalent are fire coral, ten-ray coral and starlet coral. Underwater inhabitants include spiny sea urchins, bristly fire worms, moray eels, sea turtles, stingrays, sea hares, rough tail rays, blacktip sharks, whale sharks, sandbar sharks, nurse sharks and spiny lobsters. Stetson Bank features over 150 species of fish including smooth trunkfish, red flame fish, blue tangs, damselfish, squirrelfish and soldierfish. Sightings of the rare long lure frogfish occur in Stetson Bank. Geyer Bank Geyer Bank, situated approximately 20 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas, features a coral reef area of about 20 square miles. Known for pristine conditions and large formations of fire coral and touch-me-not sponges, Geyer Bank attracts divers seeking a destination off the beaten path. Geyer Bank offers large schools of butterflyfish, triggerfish, hogfish, brown chromis and squirrelfish. Occasional sightings of the bright orange thread nose bass occur in the area. Among the species of coral discovered at Geyer Bank, orange cup coral, usually found in the Pacific Ocean, is considered an invasive species. Today, reefs are under threat across the globe, due to overfishing, climate change, high acidity in the water, and overuse from visitors. The world’s most famous reef, the Great Barrier Reef, off Australia, has lost more than half of the corals in its northern section over the past thirty years. As the world heats up, coral reefs will likely grow even more vulnerable. Most reefs exist symbiotically with photosynthetic algae, which give their hosts their otherworldly colors and provide as much as 90 percent of their nutrients. But when temperatures are elevated for a sustained time, the relationship turns antagonistic, with the algae poisoning the corals from the inside. In response, corals expel the algae, causing what is known as a bleaching event. The corals’ skeleton—what you see in seaside gift shops—is then visible through the tissues, although the tissue is still alive. But if the corals stay that way for an extended time, they starve and die. For a “deeper dive” into what is happening to our coral reefs, visit: https://www. texasmonthly.com/articles/gulf-of-mexico-coral-reefs