Coral Spawning

Several nights following the full moon of August every year coral species at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, in the Gulf of Mexico, the release their egg and sperm into the dark sea. The precise timing of the event is still not fully understood but by simultaneously releasing their spawn into the currents coral species can hope to increase the fertilization rate and survival of their future progeny. Fabien Cousteau and the Ocean Futures Team were on hand to witness this majestic spectacle of nature while filming for America's Underwater Treasures, a two-hour episode of the PBS series Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures. Join them on this awe-inspiring dive and marvel at the wonder of the creation of life.