The winners of the 9th United Nations annual photo contest for World Oceans Day were announced today, in New York, at the United Nations headquarters.
The free contest, which began last March, had as its general theme for 2022: ‘Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean.’ A world-renowned jury – wildlife photographer Rathika Ramasamy, conservation photojournalist and marine biologist Sirachai Arunrugstichai, and underwater photographer Y. Zin Kim – selected the winners in the categories: seascapes above water, underwater landscapes, revitalization, coastal communities, ocean creatures, nature-based solutions, and ocean exploration. The winners were chosen from among thousands of global entries submitted by amateur and professional photographers.
The United Nations World Oceans Day photo contest is an ongoing tradition that annually calls upon photographers and artists worldwide to share the ocean’s beauty. The 2022 winning photographers hail from more than 12 different countries. All have signed a Charter of 14 commitments regarding photography ethics.
The United Nations World Oceans Day and the photo contest are organized by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, produced with contributions from Oceanic Global. The annual contest is organized by Ellen Cuylaerts and coordinated with Dive Photo Guide (DPG) and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
Seascapes above water
1st Prize – Nguyen Vu Cao (Vietnam)
OCEANIC LOTUS LEAF
« In every profession, we can find challenges but also beauty. When fishermen go out to sea, they hope to return with boats filled with fish and shrimp out of necessity. I simply want to convey the beauty of seine fishing in my homeland. »
2nd Prize – Christophe Mason-Parker (United Kingdom)
« A line of lemon sharks (Negaprion acutidens) and blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) swim in the shallow waters of Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982, Aldabra is a brilliant example of the impact that 40 years of protection can have on biodiversity. »
3rd Prize – Nguyen Vu Cao (Vietnam)
BOAT MATRIX
« This image shows fishermen’s boats neatly aligned as they anchor to avoid the super typhoon No.9. It was the biggest in 30 years, hitting Quang Ngai, my hometown, causing havoc: 325 homes completely destroyed and over 140,000 damaged. »
Coastal communities
1st Prize – Supachai Veerayutthanon (Thailand)
« Bajau, for many generations, from birth to death, young and old, live their entire lives on their boats. They are citizens of no state. The sea is their birthplace and their only home on earth. »
2nd Prize – Amitava Chandra (India)
« A couple engages in a family discussion after lunch in their thatched-roof home. They belong to a fishing community that ventures into deep sea to make a living. Nights are spent at sea catching fish, and natural sunlight during the day is used for the drying process. Their lives entirely revolve around the ocean, and they completely depend on it for sustainable livelihoods in this challenging geographic zone. Frazuregunge coastal region in the state of West Bengal in India. »
3rd Prize – Celia Kujala (United States)
Coexistence
« In Puerto Rawson, Argentina, the Chubut River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Fishing boats line the northern shore of the river ready to go out each day. Across from them, on the southern shore, lives a colony of South American sea lions. While they may sometimes feed on fish leftovers from the fishermen and catch fish in the river, they also go into the ocean to hunt. However, for now, evening approaches, and it’s time for all to rest. »
Underwater landscapes
1st Prize – Nicolas Hahn (Argentina)
Life Highway
« A stingray and a one-eyed porcupinefish search for a meal in the sand as hundreds of jacks swim by behind them. The incredible biomass of the Cabo Pulmo National Park (Baja California) offers surreal views. Protected areas like these illustrate how abundant our oceans can be when they have a chance to recover. »
2nd Prize – Nat Sumanatemeya (Thailand)
« Julia Nilsson snorkels with thousands of harmless golden jellyfish at Ongeim’l Tketau on Eil Malk Island, Palau. The image was taken in 2019 when the lake reopened after being closed for more than two years. The impact of El Niño in 2016 had led to a decline in the number of jellyfish in the lake, and the closure was aimed at giving nature time to restore itself. »
3rd Prize – Damir Zurub (Croatia)
« This image was taken in late 2021 while I was diving at Los Islotes, La Paz, Mexico, home to a large colony of sea lions. The proximity to these animals was an unforgettable experience, and I hope to have the opportunity to visit this beautiful place again. »
Nature-based solutions and ocean exploration
1st Prize – Giacomo d’Orlando (Italy)
« Marine biology researcher Adriana Campili checks the status of the reef aquarium inside the laboratory at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. AIMS is responsible for monitoring the Great Barrier Reef. Inside its Sea Simulator, the most advanced experiments are conducted on corals, aiming to ensure a future for our reefs.
In this image, I wanted to depict the close connection between humans and the marine ecosystem.
Location: Townsville, Australia »
2nd Prize – Tom Vierus (Germany)
« Hundreds of mangrove seedlings grow in a small bay of an island south of the main island of Fiji, Viti Levu, as part of a Fijian government initiative aimed at reforesting mangroves across the country. The project encourages coastal communities to cultivate mangrove seedlings that are bought by the government at a guaranteed price and transported to various sites across the country. »
3rd Prize – Nuno Vasco Rodrigues (Portugal)
« A team of scientific divers assesses marine biodiversity at the top of a seamount in Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal. Marine protected areas have been established in the region, and local scientists conduct regular follow-up surveys to measure the impact of this protection. »
Ocean creatures
1st Prize – Viktor Lyagusskin (Georgia)
Aliens Meet the Spaceship
« Caprellids, also known as skeleton shrimps, are tiny and very amusing creatures: they grow up to a maximum of 6 cm long. They are highly social and active, constantly eating and fighting with each other. The ‘spaceship’ is a Bolinopsis infundibulum, a common northern jelly. Bolinopsis do not sting but are carnivorous and will eat anything they catch, even other northern jellies. In my image, it floats beneath the ice. »
2nd Prize – Jennifer Johnson (United States)
« A school of fish hovers around a tube anemone, Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
This anemone is part of the Cerianthidae family. They typically feed on small invertebrates and pose no threat to the hovering school of fish that presents this beautifully ethereal underwater scene. »
3rd Prize – Gaby Barathieu (France)
« A school of catfish photographed with a long exposure and strobe flash burst (5 flashes during the exposure time). This technique provides relief and movement to a photo that captures a moment by its nature. »
Honorable mention – Aunk Horwang (Thailand)
« Juvenile fish using a giant jellyfish as a feeding ground, protective shelter, and means of locomotion. Found on Losin Island, Thailand. »
« Revitalization » (series of 3 photos)
1st Prize – Aunk Horwang (Thailand)
« Ghost nets are one of the most deadly forms of marine pollution in the Thai oceans. On frequent occasions, they trap large marine creatures like this manta ray. Their lives can be in danger if they are not rescued, for example by a diver. »
2nd Prize – Nuno Vasco Rodrigues (Portugal)
Image 1
« A female sperm whale and her calf swim around the Azores, Portugal. These animals were hunted in this region until the 1980s, but today they are protected and the population is thriving. They have become a symbol of the region and attract tourists from around the globe, who can go and observe them. »
Image 2
« A team of scientists collects ropes and old nets at the surface of the sea south of Pico Island, Azores. Lost and abandoned fishing gear causes the death of many species worldwide. »
Image 3
« A scientist from the University of the Azores prepares to release a tagged loggerhead turtle off the coast of Pico Island. The tag, attached to the animal’s shell, will gather information on its movements, which is essential to better establish protection strategies for this endangered species. »
3rd Prize – Rick Morris (United States)
« The three images of this series, « Welcome to the Neighborhood, » highlight the efforts and results of replanting newly raised corals on the depleted reefs of the Florida Keys. These corals have been raised to be suited to their new environment to improve their viability and survival. »
Opening photo (c) 1st prize – underwater landscape. © Nicolas Nhah / UNworldoceansday.org