But some of the world’s healthiest reefs are found in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Associated Press. About 100 miles off the Texas coast, the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is still host to a “stunning amount of coral coverage.” However, that location and the protection it offers the biodiversity inherent to it will only hold out for so long, according to the AP.  

Texas coastal waters can reach 60 degrees Fahrenheit during winter months, which also makes it an unlikely habitat for natural tropical coral reef systems, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Texas coastal waters are also impacted by strong currents, creating an environment that, with lack of water clarity, could hinder coral reef growth. 

Yet the Flower Garden Banks stand out for the amount of coral coverage, averaging 50 percent in some areas, according to the AP. Coral in the area is also able to reach about 60 feet below the surface, while coral in other reefs sits just offshore. In last summer’s record-breaking heat, the Flower Garden Banks saw some bleaching, but not as much as other reefs. 

The Flower Garden Banks are one of 15 national marine sanctuaries and two national marine monuments protected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is the only protected reef in the Gulf of Mexico.  

First discovered in the early 1900s by snapper and grouper fishermen, the Flower Garden Banks were named after the sponges, plants and other marine life seen in the colorful reefs. The Flower Garden Banks are also close to Louisiana and include thriving coral reefs, algal-sponge communities and mesophotic reefs, which are deeper in the water.

Made up of portions of 17 separate reefs and banks in the northwestern Gulf, the sanctuary is a chain of protected habitats for “ecologically and economically important species,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Many of the banks were recent additions, with 14 added to the sanctuary in 2021. The sanctuary was originally designated in 1992. 

Coral reefs support about a fourth of all marine species. Coral reefs additionally aid in commercial fishing by providing a home for fish and also bring in tourism revenue, according to the AP.