They are both part of a continuum of science that help us to understand and ultimately protect the national marine sanctuaries. The information gathered from research and monitoring is also used to educate the public so they too can better understand and protect these unique marine areas. Coral reproduction is the focus of much research in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. For more information, click here . Research Research on coral reef habitats in the national marine sanctuaries is carried out and supported by many partners, including Federal, state, and local agencies, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
Sanctuary research includes many disciplines of physical, natural, and social sciences.
In some sanctuaries coral reef research was conducted long before the area was designated as a sanctuary. The sanctuaries, however, have helped focus and coordinate some of the research to answer specific management questions. For example, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is in the process of establishing a large no-take ecological reserve in the Tortugas region of the sanctuary. This type of coral formation is typical of the Sherwood Forest, a deep reef area located west of the Dry Tortugas and being considered for inclusion in an ecological reserve. Research efforts, supported by the sanctuary demonstrated that currents move water from the Tortugas region north throughout the Florida Keys.