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Thanks to all those who participated in the third annual Ocean in Focus Conservation Photo Contest! We received more than 300 image submissions from more than 80 photographers around the world who utilize the incredible power of still images to communicate about marine conservation and illuminate the many threats facing our ocean. Too often pretty pictures misleadingly depict a healthy, thriving ocean. These photographers have turned their lenses on the true state of marine ecosystems and the life they support. You have helped the community of ocean stewards who use the Marine Photobank as a resource to illustrate their messages, and for that we are grateful.

Congratulations also go to the three runners-up as well as the International Year of Biodiversity: Most Compelling Image honorable mention, below.
(runners-up, in no particular order)

Maximilian Hirschfeld/Marine Photobank	A local fisherman prepares his longline hooks used for catching dorado off the coast of Ecuador. This fishing method has a high percentage of bycatch, including different species of sharks, seaturtles and seabirds.
Jake Levenson/Marine Photobank	A group of silky sharks circle in the underwater foreground, while an oil rig stands in the background, pumping oil from the Gulf of Mexico, serving as a reminder of the lives affected by the modern world and human dependence on oil. Capturing tragedies like the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster on film is essential for raising public awareness and advancing conservation efforts.
Projeto Tamar Brazil/Marine Photobank	An albatross hooked and drowned by a pelagic longline is just one of many species killed as bycatch by this fishing method.

The International Year of Biodiversity: Most Compelling Image

In light of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declaring 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, we wanted to honor a photographer who captured a truly compelling image unlike the rest, that conveyed an entirely unique message that spoke to the need for species protection.

Peri Paleracio/Marine Photobank

A woman in the Philippines mourns the death of a whale shark. The animal was found floating in a nearby dive site after poachers cut off its fins and left it to struggle and die. Locals, with the help of local government, pulled the body to shore for burial. This unique and powerful shot illustrates the need for species protection in order to maintain the delicate balance of ocean ecosystems.

Visit the Photo Contest 2010 gallery to see the rest of the submissions >>

Also visit ARKive's "Most Wanted" list to find out how you can help them catalogue photographs of the more than 17,000 species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Marine Photobank will work with ARKive to identify and share photo submissions that would help them achieve their ambitious goal, all in an effort to raise awareness of species conservation through imagery. For more information on marine species and their status, visit www.redlist.org.

Prizes >>
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