Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

This site is currently in beta, and your feedback is helping shape its ongoing development.

Return to search results

2019 Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Long-Term Monitoring of the Reef Crest and Mesophotic Benthic and Fish Communities of Stetson Bank, northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NCEI Accession 0294276)

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: February 28, 2026 | Last Modified: 2024-11-12T00:00:00.000+00:00
This dataset contains raw and processed data from an annual long-term monitoring study that documents the benthic and fish community changes at Stetson Bank, in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Bank crest monitoring includes random transect and repetitive photostation photographs of the benthos to estimate percent cover of major taxonomic groups (e.g., coral, sponge, algae). Benthic photographs are analyzed using Coral Point Count (CPCe) and output into Microsoft Excel worksheets. Fish census surveys are conducted annually using a modified Bohnsack and Bannerot stationary method, both at random and repetitive sites. Fish data are recorded in Microsoft Excel worksheets. Water quality parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, turbidity, nutrients) are measured with moored conductivity temperature depth (CTD) instruments and quarterly profiles of the water column are performed. Temperature and salinity data are reduced to report daily averages. In 2015, monitoring efforts were expanded to include the deeper mesophotic habitat (34-64 m) surrounding the bank crest using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Mesophotic monitoring includes random transect and repetitive photostation photographs of the benthos to estimate percent cover of major taxonomic groups (e.g., coral, sponge, algae). Repetitive photostation images are only assessed using qualitative summaries of key species identified in 2015 during installation. Random transect photographs are analyzed using Coral Point Count (CPCe) and output into Microsoft Excel worksheets. Fish census surveys are conducted annually in conjunction with benthic transect surveys. Fish data are recorded in Microsoft Excel worksheets. The bank crest benthic community at Stetson Bank has undergone several significant shifts, changing from a habitat predominated by hydrocoral and sponges to one of macroalgae and sponges. The fish community on the bank crest has varied annually. Exotic fish species are present at the bank, including lionfish (Pterois volitans/P. miles) and regal demoiselle (Neopomacentrus cyanomos). Fluctuations in oceanic conditions, macroalgae cover, and continued annual variation in fish communities were documented.

Resources

8 resources available

  • NCEI Dataset Landing Page

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • Descriptive Information

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • HTTPS

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • FTP

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • https://nmsflowergarden.blob.core.windows.net/flowergarden-prod/media/archive/doc/reports/2019researchreport.pdf

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • GCMD Keyword Forum Page

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • NCEI Contact Information

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

  • Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) website

    PLACEHOLDER/VALUE
    Download

Find Related Datasets

Click any tag below to search for similar datasets

0294276 AMMONIA (NH3) ARAGONITE SATURATION STATE BENTHIC SPECIES CARBON - CARBONATE CHLOROPHYLL A CORAL CORAL - SPECIES IDENTIFICATION DISSOLVED INORGANIC CARBON (DIC) FISH SPECIES FISHERY SURVEY NITRATE NITROGEN NUTRIENTS partial pressure of carbon dioxide - water pH SALINITY species abundance SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - COUNT SPONGE SPECIES IDENTIFICATION total alkalinity TOTAL PHOSPHORUS Video Transect Images WATER TEMPERATURE CTD CTD - moored CTD photograph swimmer/diver temperature sensor turbidity sensor video camera in situ laboratory analyses Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary LONG TERM MONITORING EAST-WEST FLOWER GARDEN BANKS Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Gulf of Mexico oceanography DOC/NOAA/NOS/NMS > National Marine Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > AGRICULTURAL AQUATIC SCIENCES > FISHERIES EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES > SPONGES EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > ALKALINITY EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > AMMONIA EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CARBON DIOXIDE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CARBONATE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CHLOROPHYLL EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > INORGANIC CARBON EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITRATE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITROGEN EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NUTRIENTS EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > PH EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN TEMPERATURE > WATER TEMPERATURE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > SALINITY/DENSITY > SALINITY EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS EARTH SCIENCE > SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS > VISIBLE IMAGERY BENTHIC SPECIES (MESOPHOTIC RANDOM TRANSECT) BENTHIC SPECIES (MESOPHOTIC REPETITIVE PHOTOSTATIONS) BENTHIC SPECIES (REEF CREST RANDOM TRANSECT) BENTHIC SPECIES (REEF CREST REPETITIVE PHOTOSTATIONS) BENTHIC SPECIES - TAXA COUNTS (URCHIN AND LOBSTER REEF CREST) FISH CENSUS (MESOPHOTIC) FISH CENSUS (REEF CREST) Video Transect WATER QUALITY (MOORED) WATER QUALITY (PROFILES) WATER QUALITY (SAMPLES) CTD > Conductivity, Temperature, Depth TEMPERATURE SENSORS > TEMPERATURE SENSORS TURBIDITY METERS > TURBIDITY METERS VIDEO CAMERA > VIDEO CAMERA R/V Manta OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO Northwest Gulf of Mexico Stetson Bank J9ND1A

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description This dataset contains raw and processed data from an annual long-term monitoring study that documents the benthic and fish community changes at Stetson Bank, in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Bank crest monitoring includes random transect and repetitive photostation photographs of the benthos to estimate percent cover of major taxonomic groups (e.g., coral, sponge, algae). Benthic photographs are analyzed using Coral Point Count (CPCe) and output into Microsoft Excel worksheets. Fish census surveys are conducted annually using a modified Bohnsack and Bannerot stationary method, both at random and repetitive sites. Fish data are recorded in Microsoft Excel worksheets. Water quality parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, turbidity, nutrients) are measured with moored conductivity temperature depth (CTD) instruments and quarterly profiles of the water column are performed. Temperature and salinity data are reduced to report daily averages. In 2015, monitoring efforts were expanded to include the deeper mesophotic habitat (34-64 m) surrounding the bank crest using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Mesophotic monitoring includes random transect and repetitive photostation photographs of the benthos to estimate percent cover of major taxonomic groups (e.g., coral, sponge, algae). Repetitive photostation images are only assessed using qualitative summaries of key species identified in 2015 during installation. Random transect photographs are analyzed using Coral Point Count (CPCe) and output into Microsoft Excel worksheets. Fish census surveys are conducted annually in conjunction with benthic transect surveys. Fish data are recorded in Microsoft Excel worksheets. The bank crest benthic community at Stetson Bank has undergone several significant shifts, changing from a habitat predominated by hydrocoral and sponges to one of macroalgae and sponges. The fish community on the bank crest has varied annually. Exotic fish species are present at the bank, including lionfish (Pterois volitans/P. miles) and regal demoiselle (Neopomacentrus cyanomos). Fluctuations in oceanic conditions, macroalgae cover, and continued annual variation in fish communities were documented.
distribution 
                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Dataset Landing Page",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0294276",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Descriptive Information",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/oas/294276",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "HTTPS",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/download/294276",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "FTP",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).",
    "downloadURL": "ftp://ftp-oceans.ncei.noaa.gov/nodc/archive/arc0236/0294276/",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://nmsflowergarden.blob.core.windows.net/flowergarden-prod/media/archive/doc/reports/2019researchreport.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Annual Report",
    "downloadURL": "https://nmsflowergarden.blob.core.windows.net/flowergarden-prod/media/archive/doc/reports/2019researchreport.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords",
    "downloadURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Contact Information",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Information for contacts at NCEI.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) website",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Institution web page",
    "downloadURL": "https://flowergarden.noaa.gov/",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  }
]
identifier gov.noaa.nodc:0294276
issued 2024-06-24T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
                                            [
  "0294276",
  "AMMONIA (NH3)",
  "ARAGONITE SATURATION STATE",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES",
  "CARBON - CARBONATE",
  "CHLOROPHYLL A",
  "CORAL",
  "CORAL - SPECIES IDENTIFICATION",
  "DISSOLVED INORGANIC CARBON (DIC)",
  "FISH SPECIES",
  "FISHERY SURVEY",
  "NITRATE",
  "NITROGEN",
  "NUTRIENTS",
  "partial pressure of carbon dioxide - water",
  "pH",
  "SALINITY",
  "species abundance",
  "SPECIES IDENTIFICATION",
  "SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - COUNT",
  "SPONGE SPECIES IDENTIFICATION",
  "total alkalinity",
  "TOTAL PHOSPHORUS",
  "Video Transect Images",
  "WATER TEMPERATURE",
  "CTD",
  "CTD - moored CTD",
  "photograph",
  "swimmer/diver",
  "temperature sensor",
  "turbidity sensor",
  "video camera",
  "in situ",
  "laboratory analyses",
  "Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary",
  "Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary",
  "LONG TERM MONITORING EAST-WEST FLOWER GARDEN BANKS",
  "Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary",
  "Gulf of Mexico",
  "oceanography",
  "DOC/NOAA/NOS/NMS > National Marine Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > AGRICULTURAL AQUATIC SCIENCES > FISHERIES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES > SPONGES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > ALKALINITY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > AMMONIA",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CARBON DIOXIDE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CARBONATE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > CHLOROPHYLL",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > INORGANIC CARBON",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITRATE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITROGEN",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NUTRIENTS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > PH",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN TEMPERATURE > WATER TEMPERATURE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > SALINITY/DENSITY > SALINITY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS > VISIBLE IMAGERY",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES (MESOPHOTIC RANDOM TRANSECT)",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES (MESOPHOTIC REPETITIVE PHOTOSTATIONS)",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES (REEF CREST RANDOM TRANSECT)",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES (REEF CREST REPETITIVE PHOTOSTATIONS)",
  "BENTHIC SPECIES - TAXA COUNTS (URCHIN AND LOBSTER REEF CREST)",
  "FISH CENSUS (MESOPHOTIC)",
  "FISH CENSUS (REEF CREST)",
  "Video Transect",
  "WATER QUALITY (MOORED)",
  "WATER QUALITY (PROFILES)",
  "WATER QUALITY (SAMPLES)",
  "CTD > Conductivity, Temperature, Depth",
  "TEMPERATURE SENSORS > TEMPERATURE SENSORS",
  "TURBIDITY METERS > TURBIDITY METERS",
  "VIDEO CAMERA > VIDEO CAMERA",
  "R/V Manta",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO",
  "Northwest Gulf of Mexico",
  "Stetson Bank",
  "J9ND1A"
]
landingPage https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language 
                                            []
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2024-11-12T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
                                            [
  "https://nmsflowergarden.blob.core.windows.net/flowergarden-prod/media/archive/doc/reports/2019researchreport.pdf"
]
rights otherRestrictions
spatial -94.29,28.15,-94.31,28.17
temporal 2019-01-01T00:00:00+00:00/2019-12-31T00:00:00+00:00
title 2019 Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Long-Term Monitoring of the Reef Crest and Mesophotic Benthic and Fish Communities of Stetson Bank, northwestern Gulf of Mexico (NCEI Accession 0294276)

data.gov

An official website of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov