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Forbes
6 days ago
- General
- Forbes
12 Beautiful Winners Of The U.N. World Oceans Photo Competition
First Place Winner, Wonder: What Sustains Us category, Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Bearing the theme 'Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us,' the winning images of the 2025 12th annual United Nations World Oceans Photo Competition are an ode to our ocean's wonders and a call to not lose sight of them when determining their fate. The winning images of this photo contest were selected by an expert panel of judges from thousands of photos entered by professional and amateur photographers across four categories: Big and Small Underwater Faces, Underwater Seascapes, Above Water Seascapes and the new category of Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us inspired by the 2025 UN World Oceans Day theme. From strikingly amazing, weird and surprising animals to unreal seascapes, the winners offer a complex view of our oceans. The photo above – 1st place winner in the Wonder: What Sustains Us category and taken in 2024 in Mo'orea, French Polynesia -- captures the eye of a humpback whale named Sweet Girl, just days before her tragic death. Four days after American photographer Rachel Moore captured this intimate moment, she was struck and killed by a fast-moving ship. Her death serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the 20,000 whales lost to ship strikes every year. 'We are using her story to advocate for stronger protections, petitioning for stricter speed laws around Tahiti and Mo'orea during whale season," said Moore. "I hope Sweet Girl's legacy will spark real change to protect these incredible animals and prevent further senseless loss.' The contest is organized by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DivePhotoGuide (DPG), Oceanic Global, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. The UN Photo Competition for World Oceans Day is free and open to photographers and artists from around the world who are invited 'to celebrate the ocean's essential wonder - from all the wonders it consists of to the wonder it ignites,' according to the organizers. 'The ocean's wonder is what draws us in and drives our desire to protect it. Wonder is the foundation of scientific knowledge, the allure behind exploration, the curiosity that drives innovation, and the seed of traditional wisdom.' World Ocean's Photo Competition First Place Winners 1st Place, Big and Small Underwater Faces category, Sea of Japan. This photo of a Japanese warbonnet was captured in the Sea of Japan, about 50 miles southwest of Vladivostok, Russia. 'I found the ornate fish at a depth of about 30 meters (100 feet), under the stern of a shipwreck,' Andre Nosik explains. 'This species does not appear to be afraid of divers. On the contrary, it seems to enjoy the attention,and it even tried to sit on the dome port of my camera.' 1st Place, Underwater Seascapes category. Raja Ampat, Indonesia. 'This year,' Dani Escayola explains, 'I had the incredible opportunity to visit a jellyfish lake during a live-aboard trip around southern Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Being surrounded by millions of jellyfish, which have evolved to lose their stinging ability due to the absence of predators, was one of the most breathtaking experiences I've ever had.' 1st Place, Above Water Seascapes category. Shark Bay, western Australia. A serene lake lies cradled by arid dunes, where a gentle stream breathes life into the heart of this extraordinary creation. Captured from an airplane on a remote stretch of coastline near Shark Bay in western Australia. Second Place Winners Of Ocean's Photo Competition 2nd Place, Wonder Sustaining What Sustains Us, Indonesia's Lembeh Strait. This juvenile pinnate batfish was photographed with a slow shutter speed, a 'snooted' light (to control the light beam for the shot) and deliberate camera panning to create a sense of motion. Juvenile pinnate batfish are known for their striking black bodies outlined in vibrant orange, a coloration they lose within a few months as they mature. I encountered this restless subject in the tropical waters of Indonesia's Lembeh Strait. 2nd Place, Big and Small Underwater Facess. Anilao, Philippines. On one of his many blackwater dives in Anilao, Philippines, Giacomo Marchine spotted something moving erratically at a depth of around 65 feet. It was about 10 to 15 centimeters in size, a rare blanket octopus and as he approached, it opened up its beautiful blanket, revealing a multicolored mantle. 'I felt truly privileged to have captured this fascinating deep-sea cephalopod," Marchione said.' Among the many unique characteristics of this fascinating deep-sea cephalopod, it exhibits some of the most extreme sexual size-dimorphism in nature, with females reaching up to two meters in length, while males typically remain about 2.4 cm. 2nd Place, Underwater Seascapes. This shot captures a school of rays resting at a cleaning station in Mauritius, where strong currents once attracted them regularly. "Some rays grew accustomed to divers, allowing close encounters like this," Gerald Rambert says. 'Sadly, after the severe bleaching that the reefs suffered last year, such gatherings have become rare, and we may not witness this again at the same spot.' 2nd Place, Above Water Seascapes category. Hermaness National Nature Reserve, Scotland. Northern gannets soar above the dramatic cliffs of Scotland's Hermaness National Nature Reserve, their sleek white bodies and black-tipped wings slicing through the Shetland winds. These seabirds, the largest in the North Atlantic, are renowned for their striking plunge-dives, reaching speeds up to 60 miles per hour as they hunt for fish beneath the waves. The cliffs of Hermaness provide ideal nesting sites, with updrafts aiding their take-off and landing. Each spring, thousands return to this rugged coastline, forming one of the U.K.'s most significant gannet colonies. A Shark Sanctuary And Other Photo Competition Winners 3rd Place, Wonder Sustaining What Sustains Us category. Jardines de la Reina, Cuba. Shot in Cuba's Jardines de la Reina, a protected shark sanctuary, this image captures a Caribbean reef shark weaving through a group of silky sharks near the surface. Using a slow shutter and strobes as the shark pivoted sharply, the motion blurred into a wave-like arc across its head, lit by the golden hues of sunset. The abundance and behavior of sharks here is a living symbol of what protected oceans can look like. 3rd place, Big and Small Underwater Faces category, Antarctic Peninsula. Trips to the Antarctic Peninsula always yield amazing encounters with leopard seals for Lars Von Ritter. 'Boldly approaching me and baring his teeth, this individual was keen to point out that this part of Antarctica was his territory," he said. "The picture was shot at dusk, resulting in the rather moody atmosphere.' 3rd Place, Underwater Seascapes category. 'La Rapadura,' northern coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands. 'La Rapadura' is a natural hidden treasure on the northern coast of Tenerife in the Spanish territory of the Canary Islands. Only discovered in 1996, it is one of the most astonishing underwater landscapes in the world, consistently ranking among the planet's best dive sites. These towering columns of basalt are the result of volcanic processes that occurred between 500,000 and a million years ago. The formation was created when a basaltic lava flow reached the ocean where, upon cooling and solidifying, it contracted, creating natural structures often compared to the pipes of church organs. Located in a region where marine life has been impacted by once-common illegal fishing practices, this stunning natural monument has both geological and ecological value, and scientists and underwater photographers are advocating for its protection. 3rd Place, Above Water Seascapes category, Paradise Harbour, Antarctic Peninsula. For Andrey Nosik, Paradise Harbour is one of the most beautiful places on the Antarctic Peninsula: 'When I visited, the sea was extremely calm, and I could witness a wonderfully clear reflection of the Suárez Glacier (aka Petzval Glacier) in the water.' All the winners and finalists of the 2025 UN Photo Competition for World Oceans Day, as well as from previous years, can be viewed via the virtual gallery. MORE FROM FORBES
Time Out
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
All the spectacular winning shots of the UN World Oceans Day photo competition
Step right this way for some stunning snapshots of our waters and their wildlife They say we know more about outer space than we do about the ocean, but something that we can all agree on when it comes to our seas is that they are pretty magnificent – and in dire need of protection. To showcase them at their very best, a photo competition is held annually to align with the UN World Oceans Day, which is a collaboration between the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DPG, Oceanic Global, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. The winners for this year's edition have just been announced, and they're seriously mesmerising. Recommended: In pictures: the winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. There were three returning categories: 'big and small water faces', 'underwater seascapes' and 'above water seascapes', and a new category of 'wonder: sustaining what sustains us', and the submissions, which were from thousands of amateur and professional photographers, were judged by a panel of experts. Scroll on for the stunning winning shots. Photograph: © Rachel Moore (USA) | Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — Winner Photograph: © Luis Arpa (Spain) | Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — 2nd Place Photograph: © Steven Lopez (USA) | Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — 3rd Place Photograph: © Ollie Clarke (UK) | Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us — Honorable Mention Photograph: © Andrey Nosik (Russia) | Big and Small Underwater Faces – Winner Photograph: © Giacomo Marchione (Italy) | Big and Small Underwater Faces — 2nd Place Photograph: © Lars von Ritter Zahony (Germany) | Big and Small Underwater Faces — 3rd Place Photograph: © Dani Escayola (Spain) | Underwater Seascapes — Winner Photograph: © Gerald Rambert (Mauritius) | Underwater Seascapes — 2nd Place Photograph: © Pedro Carrillo (Spain) | Underwater Seascapes — 3rd Place Photograph: © Lars von Ritter Zahony (Germany) | Underwater Seascapes — Honourable Mention Photograph: © Leander Nardin (Austria) | Above Water Seascapes – Winner Photograph: © Nur Tucker (UK/Türkiye) | Above Water Seascapes — 2nd Place Photograph: © Andrey Nosik (Russia) | Above Water Seascapes — 3rd Place Photograph: © Ken Findlay (South Africa) | Above Water Seascapes — Honorable Mention Did you see that the greatest outdoor travel destinations have been named in a new ranking? Plus: The seven wonders of the world, ranked from best to worst. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
Irish Independent
07-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
New initiatives needed to protect marine migration, says Irish scientist involved in global study
However, current targets on designating marine protected areas (MPAs) are not enough to halt biodiversity loss, and other measures will need to be taken, a study involving six Irish scientists showed. Named MegaMove, the sharing of data by nearly 400 scientists from over 50 countries informed the UN-backed global research, which is published in the journal Science on the eve of UN World Oceans Day tomorrow. Dr Mark Jessopp, one of six Irish-based scientists involved, all from University College Cork (UCC), said the study was the first of its type in terms of scale. 'The study's goal was to identify areas used by marine megafauna for important behaviours like foraging, resting or migratory corridors, and these areas and behaviours can only be found based on their tracked movement patterns,' he said. We will need a range of initiatives, such as changing shipping lanes and restricting some types of commercial fishing gear Dr Jessopp has expertise in the puffin, classified as endangered in Europe, which can fly vast distances from Ireland across the Atlantic in winter. The epic migration makes the birds vulnerable to a range of impacts outside Irish waters, and the study highlights the vital role of international co-ordination. Similar approaches could be taken to other marine megafauna frequenting Irish waters, such as whales and basking sharks, already protected here, and other seabirds, Dr Jessopp said. The combined research, he added, 'outlines the most important locations for 30pc area protection for global marine megafauna species, ranking them based on the largest number of species using areas for important behaviours'. 'It shows that the EU target for designating 30pc of MPAs by 2030 is a good start, but we will need a range of other initiatives, such as changing shipping lanes, restricting use of some types of commercial fishing gear and restricting placement of offshore wind projects,' Dr Jessopp said. MPAs for conservation of marine species and habitats cover 8pc of the world's oceans, which the UN High Seas Treaty wants to expand to 30pc. ADVERTISEMENT The blue sharks we tracked from Cork migrated south into the Bay of Biscay … and as far as the Canary Islands Dr Tom Doyle, also a contributor, said the study is important for Ireland in view of 'the fair share of large migratory species that use our waters'. 'For example, blue sharks migrate thousands of kilometres and can cross many different EEZs [exclusive economic zones]. The blue sharks we tracked from Cork migrated south into the Bay of Biscay, the Azores and as far as the coastal waters of Morocco and the Canary Islands,' Dr Doyle said. 'This presents a challenge for area- based conservation in terms of where to best place MPAs. 'Results from this study suggest that our animals spend most of their time in EEZs, so enhancing protection within areas of national jurisdiction and as part of a network of MPAs is one of the quickest ways to help our blue sharks and other species.' The other UCC scientists involved in the international study were Professor John Quinn, Dr Ashley Bennison, Dr Michelle Cronin and Luke Harman.
