April 24, 2026

Sanctuary Advisory Council Seeks Applicants 

NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to serve on its volunteer advisory council. The council provides NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries with advice and recommendations on the management of the sanctuary.

The Flower Garden Banks Advisory Council is composed of 16 primary members who represent a variety of community interests, including fishing, diving, conservation, science, education, and tourism. It also includes nine seats representing other federal and state government agencies.

The sanctuary is currently accepting applications for the following 7 seats (each for a three-year term):

• Commercial Fishing (2)
• Conservation
• Education (2)
• Recreational Fishing
• Research

Applicants do not necessarily need prior personal experience within the sanctuary, but they should have familiarity and affiliation with key representatives of their constituent community and be very familiar with their constituents' regional interests and how they relate to, or benefit from, the management of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Anyone with the desire and ability to effectively represent their respective community’s interests in the management of the sanctuary is encouraged to apply, regardless of the applicant's geographic location within the region.

The application period will open on April 30, 2026. Applications are due by May 31, 2026. Applications received or postmarked after May 31, 2026 will not be considered. For more information, including a copy of the application, please visit the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council recruitment webpage at https://flowergarden.noaa.gov/advisorycouncil/recruitment.html or contact Taylor Galaviz, advisory council coordinator, at taylor.galaviz@noaa.gov. 

The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council actively recruits for new members when positions are available. Check our website flowergarden.noaa.gov frequently for updates on how you can help protect your underwater treasures! We also welcome your participation at our next council meeting on May 19, 2026.

Celebrate Earth Day with Us!  This weekend, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary will be at Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Texas and at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas for Earth Day events. Stop by and say hi!

This is an electronic distribution list run by Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). This list was created to provide subscribers with information and the latest news about sanctuary management, research, events, and opportunities for involvement. To subscribe to this or any other FGBNMS email list, please visit https://flowergarden.noaa.gov/newsevents/subscribe.html

Postings made to this list are not the views of the Federal Government, inclusive of the U.S. Dept. of Commerce/NOAA/NOS/ONMS/FGBNMS. If you need additional assistance, please contact   flowergarden@noaa.gov.