>>> THE GULF OF MEXICO IS BOUNTIFUL AND THE HOLDER OF MANY SECRETS.

MY NAME IS PENNY HAMMER AND I'VE LIVED NEAR THIS MAJESTIC BODY OF WATER MOST OF MY LIFE.

FAR AWAY, DEEP WITHIN THE GULF, LIES A SECRET PLACE.

AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.

TO GET THERE, WE MUST JOURNEY 100 MILES PAST THESE WAVES.

AMONG THE ARCHIPELAGO OF STEEL PLATFORMS, THE WATER BECOMES CRYSTAL CLEAR AND CARRIBEAN BLUE.

COME WITH ME TO EXPLORE THIS MAGICAL EXPLOSION OF LIFE.

** >>> WELCOME TO FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, A "WINDOW IN THE WAVES."

A GLIMPSE INTO ONE OF THE HEALTHIEST CORAL REEFS IN THE WORLD.

>>> FUNDING FOR "WINDOW IN THE WAVES" WAS PROVIDED IN PART BY SHELL, PROUD MEMBER OF THE GULF COAST COMMUNITY, AND PIONEERING DEEPWATER ENERGY DEVELOPER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

FOCUSED ON SAFETY, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND INNOVATION.

AND BY APACHE CORPORATION, COMMITTED TO SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1954.

ALSO BY AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE, THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION, TOTAL FOUNDATION, AND BY FLING CHARTERS.

>>> ALL LIFE ON EARTH IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE OCEAN.

IT WAS ONCE THOUGHT THAT THESE WATERS WERE LIMITLESS AND SELF-HEALING.

WE NOW KNOW THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEAN IS IN JEOPARDY, AND CORAL REEFS ARE IN DECLINE.

YET THERE ARE PLACES THAT REMAIN HEALTHY.

FLOWER GARDEN BANKS IS ONE OF THEM.

LOCATED 115 MILES FROM THE LOUISIANA-TEXAS COAST, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS TROPICAL PARADISE EXISTS.

IT'S AN OCEAN OASIS FOR CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL.

THE MAGIC OF THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS, IT'S LIVE A DIVE INTO TIME INTO A HEALTHY OCEAN THAT MAKES YOU UNDERSTAND THE WAY THE OCEAN SHOULD BE EVERYWHERE.

>>> THE STORY OF THE FLOWER GARDENS REALLY BEGINS MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO IN THE JURASSIC AGE, WHEN DINOSAURS WALKED THE EARTH.

DURING THIS ERA THE GULF OF MEXICO WAS A SHALLOW SEA.

EVAPORATION OF THE WATER FROM THE HOT, DRY CLIMATE CAUSED THICK LAYERS OF SALT TO FORM.

AS TIME PASSED THE SEA LEVEL ROSE.

SEDIMENT FROM RIVERS LAID ON TOP OF THE SALT.

BECAUSE IT'S BUOYANT THE SALT PUSHED UP AND FORMED UNDERWATER MOUNTAINS CALLED SALT DOMES.

THIS GIFT OF NATURE BECAME CORAL REEFS LIKE NO OTHER IN THE WORLD.

THE MUDDY WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO ARE NOT USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH WORLD-CLASS CORAL REEFS.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE LATITUDE OF THE GULF OF MEXICO WHERE THEY ARE, IT'S QUITE ON THE MARGINS OF WHERE CORALS CAN EVEN SURVIVE.

CORALS ARE TROPICAL ANIMALS, THIS IS OUTSIDE THE TROPICS.

BUT THERE'S WARM ENOUGH WATER COMING FROM MEXICO INFLUENCING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS TO ALLOW LARVAE TO GET THERE AND FOR THEM TO SURVIVE AND GROW.

>> THERE ARE SALT DOMES ALL OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO BUT NONE OF THEM ARE IN JUST THAT RIGHT SPOT TO HAVE THE PHENOMENAL GROWTH AND THE COVER THESE CORAL REEFS HAVE.

>> IT'S SITTING OUT ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF, THE WATERS ARE 400 FEET DEEP AROUND THOSE BANKS AND MUD BOTTOMS.

ALL OF A SUDDEN ON THE EDGE OF THAT SHELF THESE BEAUTIFUL BASICALLY UNDERWATER ISLANDS RISE UP TO 150 FEET UNDER THE SURFACE AND THEY ARE CAPPED WITH CORAL REEFS.

THE FACT THAT THEY ARE EVEN THERE IS JUST INCREDIBLE.

>> ACCORDING TO MOST ACCOUNTS THESE REEFS WERE FIRST GIVEN THE NAME OF FLOWER GARDEN BANKS BY FISHERMEN AS THEY PULLED IN THEIR LINES.

THEY ALSO PULLED IN BITS OF CORAL AND SPONGES WHICH REMINDED THEM OF FLOWERS.

IT WAS AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY MARKED BY SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY.

THE GEOLOGY THAT CREATED THE FLOWER GARDEN ALSO CREATED OVER SALT DOMES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

RESERVOIRS ARE FAVORABLE FOR LOCATING OIL AND GAS.

>> A VERY TRUE ODDITY OF NATURE, THEY SIT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOST ACTIVE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION AREA IN THE WORLD.

IT'S AN INTERESTING MIX OF WHAT YOU SEE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMY, SITTING THERE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

>> BECAUSE OF THE INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY SURROUNDING THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS, THESE REEF VS. BEEN STUDIED, PHOTOGRAPHED AND DOCUMENTED FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.

>> WE HAVE A RECORD OF MONITORING AT THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS THAT IS PROBABLY THE LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING RECORD OF A CORAL REEF ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

>> THESE STUDIES BEGAN IN THE 1970S AS THE SEARCH FOR OIL AND GAS EXPANDED FURTHER INTO THE GULF.

THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO ENSURE THAT DRILLING ACTIVITIES WOULDN'T CAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

>> BUT AS INTEREST GREW AND THE TECHNOLOGY ALLOWED THE DRILLING OF WELLS FOR ENERGY IN DEEPER AND DEEPER WATERS, THAT REALLY OPENED UP THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPACTS FROM THAT ACTIVITY NEAR OF FLOWER GARDENS.

>> AROUND 1974, PROFESSORS AT TEXAS A&M WERE ENLISTED TO EXPLORE AND RESEARCH FLOWER GARDEN AND THE SURROUNDING BANKS.

THE PURPOSE OF THESE EXTRADITIONS WITH AS TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFIC DATA TO THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP CREATE REGULATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE SEABED.

THIS HIGH CALIBER TEAM OF EDUCATORS AND GRADUATE STUDENTS PIONEERED RESEARCH THAT IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY.

>> THEY DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION ON WHAT WAS OUT THERE.

THEY WERE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHERE THE SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS WERE.

OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE SENSITIVE AREAS WAS THE FLOWER GARDEN.

IT WASN'T UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS ON THESE BANKS.

WE TOOK OUR LITTLE SUBMARINE NAMED THE DIAPHOUS, TOOK IT OUT RECORDING ORGANISMS AND THE GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE, AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT STARTED IN GENERATING THE INFORMATION THAT THE BLOW OF LAND MANAGEMENT FELT THEY NEEDED.

>> THIS RESEARCH SET THE BENCHMARK FOR OUR UNDERWATER COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE PROTECTED NEAR INDUSTRY.

>> SO THE INITIAL PROGRAM WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE FLOWER GARDENS.

BUT THE RULES THAT WERE DEVELOPED FOR PROTECTING THE FLOWER GARDENS STARTED TO SPREAD TO OTHER HARD BOTTOM AREAS.

ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT LED TO BETTER MANAGEMENT REALLY EVOLVED FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE FLOWER GARDENS.

>> BY THE 1980s, SPORT DIVERS HAD DISCOVERED THE BEAUTY OF THESE REEFS.

MANY RESEARCH EXEXPEDITIONS WERE BEING LOCATED.

IT WAS IN ONE OF THE BUSIEST SHIPPING LANES OF THE WORLD.

ALL OF THESE FACTORS ADDED UP TO AN INCREASE IN BOAT TRAFFIC.

NOT YET PART OF THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, THESE REEFS WERE EXPOSED TO A GROWING DANGER.

>> IN THOSE EARLY DAYS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES WAS ANCHOR DAMAGE TO THE REEFS.

LARGE SHIPS WOULD COME IN FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD AND SEE THESE SHOALS, SHALLOW SPOTS ON THE MAP, DROP THEIR HOOKS FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND WITH A IT FOR THE PRICE OF THEIR COMMODITY TO BE JUST RIGHT AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE IT TO SHORE.

>> BACK WHEN TOP BRIGHT AND HIS STUDENTS STARTED TO PUSH FOR SANCTUARY STATUS, SOMEBODY HAD TYRONN LUE COLLECTED A FILM OF AN ANCHOR CHAIN SAWING THROUGH ONE OF THE CORAL HEADS.

THAT IMAGE JUST GRABS YOU.

THE CORAL HEAD IS 5,000 YEARS OLD, BEING CUT IN HALF IN JUST A MATTER OF HOURS.

>> THIS FOOTAGE PROVIDED A VISUAL WAKE-UP CALL, SHOWING THE VULNERABILITY OF THESE REEFS.

IT INFLUENCED LAWMAKERS FROM TEXAS AND LOUISIANA TO WORK TOWARD NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY STAT FOR US THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS.

WHILE THE POLITICAL WHEELS BEGAN TO TURN A GROUP TEXAS SPORT DIVERS WERE PRO ACTIVE.

A NONPROFIT GROUP KNOWN AS THE GULF REEFS ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION TEAM, OR GREAT, RAISED MONEY AND MANPOWER TO INSTALL MOORING BUOYS.

>> THEY PROVIDED A CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR BOATS TO TIE UP TO, AND THEY WERE JUST REALLY CRITICALLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO STOP CONTINUING ANCHOR DAMAGE.

>> A NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY OPERATES MUCH LIKE A NATIONAL PARK.

AND THE PROCESS OF BECOMING ONE IS COMPLEX.

THE SUPPORT OF LAWMAKERS AND THE AWARENESS GENERATE BY PASSIONATE VOLUNTEERS WERE CRUCIAL FACTORS IN HELPING TO ACHIEVE SANCTUARY STATUS.

BUT THE ULTIMATE DECISION WAS BASED ON THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS, AND ITS NEED FOR PROTECTION.

>> THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS WAS QUITE INTERESTING.

WE CONTACTED ALL OF THE STATES AND ASKED THEM FOR RECOMMENDATIONS.

WHAT ABOUT AN AREA IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO REALLY TRY TO SET IT ASIDE AND GIVE IT SPECIAL PROTECTION AND HAVE SPECIAL RULES.

THE FLOWER GARDENS WERE SO UNIQUE COMPARED TO EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, HERE YOU HAD 110 MILES OFFSHORE IN THE OPEN GULF, TWO FAIRLY LARGE CORAL REEF PENTACLES MOUNTED ON TOP OF SALT DOMES WITH LOVE, HEALTHY CORAL COMMUNITIES.

>> IN 1992, NOAA, THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DESIGNATED THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS AS THE NATION'S 10th MARINE SANCTUARY, AND THE FIRST IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

>> ULTIMATELY IT WAS THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE INSTALLING MOORING BUOYS AT THE FLOWER GARDENS, THE POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT AGENT WHO FINALLY SENT PEOPLE TO VISIT THE PLACE AND SEE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE RECREATIONAL DIVERS, SCIENTISTS AND OIL INDUSTRY, THAT REALLY MADE THE GOVERNMENT FULLY REALIZE I THINK THE POTENTIAL OF THE FLOWER GARDENS AS A PLACE WHERE PARTNERSHIPS DICTATE WHAT HAPPENS THERE, AND CAN PROTECT THAT PLACE FOR THE LONG TERM.

>> TODAY, FELONY FELONY NATIONAL NAL MARINE SANCTUARY ISGARDEN BANKSNATIO COMPOSED OF THREE REEFS.

THE ORIGINAL REEFS ARE LOCATED 115 MILES FROM THE LOUISIANA-TEXAS SHORELINE.

IN 1996, STETSON BANK, WHICH IS 30 MILES CLOSER TO SHORE, WAS ADDED.

EACH REEF HAS UNIQUE GEOGRAPHY, RESONANCE AND VIBE.

OVER 350 SPECIES OF FISH ARE KNOWN TO LIVE WITHIN THE SANCTUARY.

THE EAST AND WEST BANKS ARE 12 MILES APART BUT VERY SIMILAR IN NATURE.

THE SIZE AND HEALTH OF THE 23 TYPES OF CORAL FOUND HERE ARE MAGNIFICENT.

AND THE DENSITY OF GROWTH IS FAR GREATER THAN ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN.

MANY OF THE CORAL HEADS HAVE GROWN TO BE LARGER THAN CARS.

THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES OF THESE WREATHS PROVIDE SHELTER TO THIS THRIVING ECOSYSTEM.

STETSON BANK IS ALSO LOCATED ON TOP OF A SALT DOME.

BECAUSE IT'S CLOSER TO SHORE, THE WATER IS MORE TURBID AND A FEW DEGREES COOLER.

CORAL IS SPARSE ON STETSON BUT THIS LOCATION IS A MARINE LIFE MAGNET.

LOOKING A BIT LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE MOON, STETSON BANK HAS A MYSTERIOUS BEAUTY.

** ** >>> DIVERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TRAVEL HERE TO EXPLORE THESE REEFS.

RHYTHMS OF NATURE PROVIDE VIBRANT UNDERWATER SEASONS.

THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS HAVE YEAR-ROUND RESIDENTS AND OFFER SHELTER FOR THOSE JUST MIGRATING THROUGH.

WINTER ARRIVES WITH SQUADRONS OF EAGLE RAYS AND LARGE SCHOOLS OF SCALLOPED HAMMERHEAD SHARKS.

AS THE WEATHER GROWS WARMER, DIVERS MAY CATCH GLIMPSES OF THE LARGEST FISH IN THE OCEAN, THE WHALE SHARK.

AND THE MANT AT A RAYS, THE BALLERINAS OF THE OCEAN ARE ALMOST ALWAYS GLIDING GRACEFULLY OVER THE REEFS.

SEEING THESE MAGNIFICENT ANIMALS IS AN ADRENALINE RUSH.

BUT THE MOST SPECTACULAR EVENT HAPPENS LIKE CLOCKWORK SEVEN TO 10 DAYS AFTER THE AUGUST FULL MOON.

SPONGES BEGIN TO SMOKE.

AND CORALS CREATE AN UNDERWATER SNOWSTORM.

IT'S AN EXPLOSION OF NEW LIFE, SCIENTISTS RATE THE CORAL SPAWNING HERE AS ONE OF THE MOST PROLIFIC IN THE WORLD.

>> ONCE I GOT A CALL FROM SOMEONE AROUND 1990, I THINK IT WAS, SAYING WE SAW SOME WEIRD STUFF HAPPENING ON A NIGHT DIVE ON OUR RECENT TRIP.

IT LOOKED LIKE A BUNCH OF EGGS OR WHATEVER COMING OUT OF THE CORALS.

WE SCHEDULED A TRIP NEXT YEAR, EIGHT EVENINGS AFTER THE AUGUST FULL MOON.

IT'S A LONG SHOT, BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

WE REALLY DIDN'T SUSPECT ANYTHING WOULD HAPPEN.

AT 9:15, ODDLY ENOUGH THE SAME TIME AS THE YEAR BEFORE, THE BLIZZARD STARTED HAPPENING UNDERWATER OF EGGS AND SPERM BEING RELEASED BY CORALS.

>> WHEN THAT HAPPENS THE SEA JUST ABOUT BECOMES FULL OF THESE MINUTE LITTLE PACKAGES OF HOPE, IF YOU WILL.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CORALS.

YOU SWIM THROUGH THIS WITH THE LIGHTS IN FRONT OF YOU IT'S LIKE SEEING A GALAXY OF LIFE.

THE FIRST TIME I EVER SAW IT I REMEMBER HEARING MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHERS JUST SCREAMING UNDERWATER.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS, LIFE EXPERIENCES, THAT I'M SO GLAD I DIDN'T MISS.

TO ME, THE SEASONALITY IS QUITE INTERESTING AT THE FLOWER GARDEN.

WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE MYSTERIES OF WHY THESE THINGS DO WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY DO.

>>> CORAL REEFS FOCUS LESS THAN 2% OF THE OCEAN FLOOR.

>> WHAT THEY DO WITH THIS SMALL AMOUNT OF SPACE IS EXTRAORDINARY.

HERE ANIMAL VS. A PLACE TO REPRODUCE, SHELTER AND MATURE.

>> CORAL REEFS ARE IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

ONE, THEY ADD BIODIVERSITY TO OUR PLANET.

THE MORE DIFFERENT SPECIES WE HAVE THE MORE HEALTH WE WILL BE.

IT'S LIKE DIVERSITY FYING YOUR PORTFOLIO.

THE MORE OPTIONS YOU HAVE THE MORE RESILIENT YOU WILL BE.

>> CORAL REEFS HAVE BEEN AROUND LITERALLY FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

SINCE THE 20TH CENTURY MORE THAN HALF OF THE CORAL REEFS AROUND THE WORLD ARE EITHER GONE OR THEY ARE IN A STATE OF SERIOUS DECLINE.

>> THE THREE FACTORS MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECLINE OF CORAL REEFS AROUND THE WORLD ARE OVERFISHING, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND POLLUTION.

WHEN A REEF IS OVERFISHED, THE BALANCE OF THE FOOD CHAIN BEGINS TO WEAKEN.

WHAT REMAINS IS NOT AS RESILIENT TO INSULT, SUCH AS THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

SINCE MOST REEFS ARE NEAR SHORE, POLLUTION FROM LAND RUNOFF AND SEDIMENT FROM HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AFFECT CORAL NEGATIVELY.

ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN GLOBALLY EVERY DAY.

>> IN THE CARIBBEAN THERE'S NO QUESTION, ALMOST CARIBBEAN-WIDE YOU CAN SEE CORAL COVER ON SOME REEFS THAT'S GONE FROM 30 DO TOWN 5%.

>> BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CORAL, A CORAL REEF IS A METROPOLIS.

IT'S ABOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

THE FISH MATTER, THE WORMS, THEY ARE PART OF THE SYSTEM.

LOBSTERS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF CORAL REEFS.

THE LITTLE CRABS THAT SKULK AROUND, ALL OF THAT.

IT'S NOT JUST WHAT'S ON THE BOTTOM, IT'S THE WHOLE WATER COLONY OF ALL OF THIS MAKES THE METROPOLIS, THE CORAL REEF FUNCTION.

WE'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHY CORAL REEFS MATTER.

WE'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE IN TROUBLE.

>> THE FLOWER GARDENS, ALMOST IN DIRECT DEFIANCE, ARE ROBUST.

>> THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS IS ONE OF THOSE LAST HOLDOUTS OF HEALTHY CORALS THAT ARE TYRONN LUE MAINTAINING VERY HIGH CORAL COVER, WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARY.

>> MEASURING CORAL COVER IS ONE WAY SCIENTISTS DETERMINE REEF HEALTH.

THE HIGHER OF THE BERGE OF COVER, THE HEALTHIER THE REEF.

>> I'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE FLOWER GARDENS ON AND OFF FOR OVER 40 YEARS NOW.

I'VE SEEN VERY LITTLE CHANGE.

THE FLOWER GARDENS HAS A LIVING CORAL COVERAGE SOMEWHERE IN THE AVERAGE RANGE OF ABOUT 50 TO 60%.

FLORIDA KEYS IS ABOUT 15%.

>> NATURE HAS SOMEWHAT INSULATED THE REEFS OF THE FLOWER GARDEN FROM PERILS THAT ARE HARMING MANY OTHERS ACROSS THE WORLD.

>> THE REASON THE CORALS AT THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS ARE SO HEALTHY IS BECAUSE THEY ARE REMOTE.

AND THAT MEANS THAT ALL OF THOSE NEGATIVE IMPACTS WE TYPICALLY THINK OF AS AFFECTING CORAL REEFS, THE RUNOFF FROM RIVERS, FROM POORLY CONTROL CONSTRUCTION, FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, THE THINGS WE DUMP ON THE LAND, IT TAKE AS WHILE IT FOR TO GET OUT THERE.

BY THE TIME THE WATER MAKES IT OUT TO THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS, IT'S BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DILUTED.

>> AND BECAUSE OF THIS REMOTE LOCATION, THE BALANCE OF THE REEF HAS REMAINED STRONG.

>> OVERALL THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE OWER GARDEN BANKS IS HEALTHY.OF THEFL >> AS HEALTHY AS THEY ARE, THESE REEFS STILL FACE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.

EVEN THOSE THEY ARE FAR FROM SHORE AND PROTECTED AS MARINE SANCTUARY, THERE ARE CHALLENGES AHEAD THAT COULD AFFECT THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS.

>> WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT IS SOME 40 TO 60% OF THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES DRAINS INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

IF WE USE TOO MANY PESTICIDES AND FERTILIZERS, THE GULF TAKES THE HIT FROM THAT.

>> IT'S GOING CHANGE THE REEF'S ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK FROM OTHER INSULTS.

I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND INVASIVE SPECIES.

>> ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE INVASION OF THE PACIFIC LIONFISH.

>> THESE BEAUTIFUL YET DANGEROUS FISH WERE RELEASED INTO FLORIDA WATERS AROUND 1985.

THE GULFSTREAM THEN DISPERSED THEM INTO THE ATLANTIC WHERE THEY HAVE NO NATURAL PREDATORS.

>> THEY EAT ALMOST ANY SPECIES OF FISH, ANYTHING THEY WILL GET THEIR MOUTHS AROUND THEY WILL FEED ON.

THEY REPRODUCE EVERY FOUR DAYS OR SO AND PUT OUT MILLIONS OF YOUNG.

WE ARE VERY WORRIED THAT WE WILL PUT AT RISK OF THE ECOLOGICAL BALANCE THAT OTHER FISH PROVIDE THE ENVIRONMENT.

>> THE STORY OF THE FLOWER GARDENS IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.

OVER THE YEARS MANY PEOPLE HAVE WORKED IN SYNC TO PROTECT THESE REEFS.

SO THEY REMAIN A SOURCE OF HOPE AND INSPIRATION.

>> AND THE FLOWER GARDENS REPRESENTS ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, DIVERS, FISHERMEN, OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, SHIPPERS, ALL HAVE COME TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROTECT IT.

IN FACT, IT'S A MODEL OF HOW TO MANAGE OUR WORLD'S OCEANS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE HEED OF.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS REALLY STANDS OUT AS A SPECIAL PLACE THAT IS PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED IT.

IT HAS BECOME A SYMBOL, A MICROCOSM FOR DOING SOMETHING RIGHT FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AS A WHOLE.

>> FORMED MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO, AND PROTECTED BY REMOTENESS, THESE REEFS ARE A SENTINEL OF THE GULF.

THEY ARE ALSO A REFLECTION OF BALANCE, ABOVE AND BENEATH THE SURFACE.

THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS TRULY ARE A "WINDOW IN THE WAVES."

>> MANY PEOPLE GO TO THE BEACH OR NEAR SHORE AND SEE KIND OF MUDDY WATER, THEY KNOW ABOUT THE DEAD ZONE AND THEY KNOW ABOUT THE INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE GULF.

THEY THINK OF IT AS KIND OF A PLACE THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH OUT THERE.

BUT AS THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS SHOWS, THERE ARE INCREDIBLE PLACES OUT THERE.

>> FOR ME, THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS IS A WINDOW IN TIME.

I CAN GLIMPSE DIVING AT THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS, THE OCEAN, THE GULF OF MEXICO AS IT WAS WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

BIG FISH ARE THERE.

HEALTHY CORAL REEFS ARE THERE.

CLEARWATER IS THERE.

HOPE IS THERE.

>> REJUVENATION, REBIRTH, LIFE CYCLES.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE.

TO ME, THAT'S THE FLOWER GARDEN BANKS.

** ** ** ** >>> FUNDING FOR "WINDOW IN THE WAVES" WAS PROVIDED IN PART BY SHELL, PROUD MEMBER OF THE GULF COAST COMMUNITY.

AND PIONEERING DEEPWATER ENERGY DEVELOPER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, FOCUSED ON SAFETY, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND INNOVATION.

AND BY APACHE CORPORATION, COMMITTED TO SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1954.

ALSO BY AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE, THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION, TOTAL FOUNDATION, AND BY FLING CHARTERS.