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Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

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Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Gray’s Reef National Marine wet; Gray's Reef has exhibit partnerships with Sanctuary (GRNMS) protects a vibrant hard the Georgia Aquarium, the Tybee Island -bottom area off the Georgia coast. The reef’s Marine Science Center, the Fernbank Museum scattered rocky outcroppings and ledges of Natural History, Georgia Southern provide homes for an abundance of marine University and South Carolina Aquarium, life. Crabs, lobsters, soft corals, sponges, sea among others. stars and other organisms form a dense carpet Research and Monitoring of living creatures, covering the nooks and GRNMS provides a living laboratory for study crannies of Gray's Reef and giving it the name of this unique marine ecosystem. The “live bottom." The reef attracts more than 200 sanctuary’s research team, in partnership with Photo: Greg McFall, NOAA species of fish, including black sea bass, scientists from other agencies and universities, Boaters, divers and fishermen enjoy the snappers, groupers and mackerels. undertake numerous investigations to wonders of Gray’s Reef National Marine Loggerhead sea turtles, a threatened species, understand the status and condition of marine Sanctuary. forage and rest year-round at Gray's Reef, and life and habitats. Whether it is the study of the reef is within the only known winter calving coral settlement on the reef or research on ground for the highly endangered North native fish populations, science conducted in Atlantic right whale. The 22 square mile Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary helps sanctuary is the only protected natural reef NOAA make informed decisions that protect and one of a few natural marine protected the sanctuary. areas in the Atlantic Ocean between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Education and Outreach Florida. GRNMS invites Georgia residents and visitors to explore and learn about the sanctuary's Gray's Reef also attracts people: recreational delicate ocean ecosystems and how they can boaters, anglers and divers are among the help protect and conserve the ocean. Exhibits sanctuary's user groups. However, given the are on display in a variety of locations, and the Photo: Greg McFall, NOAA sanctuary's remote location 16 miles east of sanctuary hosts events for all ages, such as More than 200 fish species seek shelter Sapelo Island, Georgia, most people the Gray’s Reef Ocean Film Festival and an and food in Gray’s Reef. experience Gray's Reef through pictures or exciting regional ROV team competition in videos showing some of its colorful fish and which students create, launch and operate benthic organisms. No need to get your feet underwater robots. Photo: Greg McFall, NOAA The threatened loggerhead turtle forages and rests among the rocky outcrops of Gray’s Reef. Photo: Greg McFall, NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is one of the largest near-shore live-bottom reefs off the southeastern United States. http://graysreef.noaa.gov Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Location 16 miles off the coast of Sapelo Island, Georgia Protected Area 22 square miles Designation January 1981 Habitats Flat bottom troughs Flat top ridge Ledges and crevices Scarps Slopes and sandy areas Key Species Black sea bass Find Us Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Grouper 10 Ocean Science Circle Network of marine protected areas Hard and soft coral Savannah, GA 31411 Encompasses more than 600,000 square miles Loggerhead sea turtle 912-598-2345 Established October 1972 North Atlantic right whale Nurse shark Red snapper On the Web On the Web Sea whips Email: [email protected] sanctuaries.noaa.gov Tunicates www.facebook.com/graysreefsanctuary www.facebook.com/NOAAOfficeofNationalMarineSanctuaries Vase sponge Twitter: @graysreefnms Instagram: @noaasanctuaries Twitter: @sanctuaries Tumblr: @noaasanctuaries Photo: Greg McFall, NOAA Photo: Greg McFall, NOAA Photo: NOAA NMFS Gray’s Reef researchers deploy monitoring Divers enjoy the abundant marine life Gray’s Reef lies within the calving grounds of equipment on the reef. protected and conserved for present and the endangered North Atlantic right whale. future generations. http://graysreef.noaa.gov .
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